


Love Out Loud 3

by BackseatGaffer



Series: Love Out Loud [3]
Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-09
Updated: 2019-03-06
Packaged: 2019-07-10 08:28:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 99
Words: 276,756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15945584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BackseatGaffer/pseuds/BackseatGaffer
Summary: Year Two of Trinity Lutheran University will try a number of students and staff as a major scandal threatens to take down the entire school. Can Deacon Schmidt, the peer ministers, and his athletic department friends come together to save TLU?





	1. Prologue

* The 15th ELCA Churchwide Assembly was held August 5th through 10th in Milwaukee. As host, the Greater Milwaukee Synod had a large number of its members on the floor of the Wisconsin Center helping with logistics. Pastor Rachel Belding from UW-Milwaukee was the only voting member of the four campus pastors/chaplains in the synod, but Deacon Marc Schmidt had his hand in on several fronts. On Wednesday the 7th, he provided testimony before the synod's executive board laying out the case against Gavin Winchester's plea for funds to start upgrades on Niemoller Field ahead of Trinity Lutheran University's move of its women's soccer program to Division I for the 2021-2022 academic year. His request was tabled pending his scheduled presentation before the TLU Board of Trustees on Friday the 9th. Marc also presented a request, co-authored by Revs. Belding and Jessica Sherman, to submit a proposal on behalf of the synod's Lutheran Campus Ministries and Trinity Lutheran University to Lutheran Student Movement-USA offering to host the 2021 LSM-USA National Gathering (December 30, 2020-January 3, 2021) in Milwaukee.

**********

On Wednesday evening, Marc was tapped by GMS Bishop Paul Emerson to be the master of ceremonies for an event involving ten of his fellow synodical leaders.

Bishop Paul Emerson: When Milwaukee was awarded the 2019 Churchwide Assembly, it was suggested that we host an event on the Wednesday night of the gathering to allow attendees to let loose a little and to provide some healthy competition between a number of the ELCA's 65 bishops. After talking with our synod's resident clown and pop culture guru, we came up with something that both of us agree will give you some laughs and perhaps put a smile on the faces of our overworked leaders. With no further ado, I ask Trinity Lutheran University chaplain Deacon Marc Schmidt to come forward and take the mic.

Marc: Tonight, a battle for the ages. Ten members of the ELCA's Conference of Bishops step into the ballroom intent on bringing the house down with their movement and their synchronicity. Only one of them, though, can walk away with the Sequined Chalice. Which one will have the drive, the determination, and the footwork to seize the sparkly prize? LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE, THIS is Dancing With The ELCA Stars!

Watching from the back of the room, Dani chuckled at Marc's on-stage persona, doing his best rendition of Tom Bergeron. He caught eyes with her and melted just a little after giving her a once-over.

Marc: Let's bring out our couples (Bishop listed first and local dance pro second). Lowell Albert and Nadine Roth. Terry Branch and Julia Vaillancourt. Claire Burnett and Dana Jackson. Kristen Kuehl and Russ Lawler. Wayne Michaels and Albina Hansen. Patty Loftus and Alex Rusov. Daniel Bellamy and Jade Aaron. Jessica Cramer and Brandon Rocque. Kate Fillmore and Andrew Taylor. And Erik Greenfield and Michelle Taylor.

Once all ten couples had come onto the dance floor, those gathered gave them a round of applause.

Marc: These ten pairs will be judged by a veritable panel of professionals. Actually, these were the only people willing to do this for the amount I was paying.

A smattering of laughter came forth after Marc's comment.

Marc: First, the pastor of Immaculate Lutheran Church in Rockford, MI, the Rev. Kirk Laing. Next is the pastor of Reformation Lutheran Church in Taos, NM, the Rev. Jared Capshaw. I see that he's dressed-up for the occasion. Wait, haven't I seen that get-up before, like 20 years ago in Phoenix and something about people sticking their nose into other people's binness?

Rev. Jared Capshaw: Yes, Marc. This is a new rendition of that outfit, in a bigger size to accommodate my expanding waistline and without some of the extras that made it more suitable to a street corner than a church gathering.

Marc: Well, thank you for taking me down memory lane tonight. And last, but definitely not least, the national coordinator of Lutheran Campus Ministry, Jennifer Healey.

Each couple performed a ninety-second version of a Foxtrot, which was followed by the elimination of six of the competitors. The remaining four pairs presented their rendition of a Waltz for judging. The three judges ranked the dances and handed their ballots to Marc to tabulate and announce.

Marc: Wasn't that fun, everyone?! Well, the judges have determined their individual orders of finish and now we will crown our champion of the evening. In fourth place, Jessica Cramer and Brandon Rocque. In third place, Daniel Bellamy and Jade Aaron. Terry and Julia, Kristen and Russ, please come forward.

The two couples walked toward Marc and took up spaces on either side of him. Rev. Laing came out to the floor with the Sequined Chalice, ready to hand it to the winner.

Marc: These two couples were separated by one ordinal, with one receiving two firsts and a second and the other two seconds and a first. Kristen and Russ, Terry and Julia, on this night, the couple with the highest ranking and the winner of Dancing With The ELCA Stars is..............Kristen Kuehl and Russ Lawler!

Kristen and Russ exchanged a small hug, then accepted the trophy from Kirk. After a few comments from the winners, Marc closed the evening's entertainment with acknowledgements of the judges, a thank you to Bishop Emerson for letting him run with this idea, and a reminder to those gathered that tomorrow's committee meetings would begin at 9am.

Marc: On behalf of myself and the Greater Milwaukee Synod of the ELCA, hit the bars you lushes!

**********

As Marc and Dani were making their way through the Wisconsin Center toward the parking garage, she stopped outside the ladies' room and nonchalantly flipped up the back of her dress to show him that she wasn't wearing anything under it, stirring some arousal in the lower part of Marc's anatomy. A few minutes later, she came out and the pair continued to their cars. Dani followed Marc home and they entered the house. Once inside, she shut the door and immediately went to the zipper of his pants, eager to demonstrate her desire of him. After freeing him from the constriction of his briefs, she engulfed around half of his penis with her lips, sucking greedily on it while swirling her tongue around the tip. Once he was erect, she stood up and kissed him hard on the lips. He lied back on the floor and pulled her onto him. She then rubbed her vaginal lips around the tip of his cock before settling down onto it. She leaned forward a little and began giving the man of her heart some verbal encouragement.

Dani: You got me SO HOT tonight with your command of the crowd and the enjoyment I could see on your face running the show.

Marc: Your support and love, plus the drugs, make me a lot freer to be who I want, and it also makes me want to pour all of that passion and desire out on you.

Dani continued to ride Marc's member with him providing a bit of thrusting from below. He sucked on her neck and nibbled at her ear, which caused her to lose control of her thoughts.

Dani: How did I get so lucky, babe? To have someone like you as my guy, as the person who owns my heart.

Marc seized up at hearing that and he lost his erection in short order. As Dani felt him shrinking inside her, she asked what was wrong. Marc pulled out and directed her upstairs to the master bedroom, where the two lied down.

Dani: What happened? Everything was great, we had a good connection going, and then he went flat. What was on your mind, hun, that caused him to die?

Marc: Nothing outside of the normal until you made your declaration. Then, all the worries I've been having about us over the past couple of months hit me and, well, you felt the aftermath of that.

Dani leaned into Marc's neck and stayed there silent for a couple of minutes, waiting for him to open up about his concerns. She nuzzled him a little and left a peck just under his left ear.

Dani: Worries? What about?

After a few seconds of thought, Marc spoke.

Marc: Julie has been pushing Roger and Brenda to challenge the trust. She doesn't have standing, so one of them has to contest it.

Dani: Where and when did you learn this?

Marc: I contacted Sydney a couple of weeks ago to get the information Thrivent needed to send her educational trust funds from Danielle to UWEC's bursar. She told me that Julie was still irked at how Roger and her didn't receive very much after all of the individual bequests and the community property provisions and was looking for a way to contest my disbursement of her estate.

Dani: What grounds would she have?

Marc: Like I said, she doesn't have standing to do it. Only Roger and Brenda do. As for grounds, the three most valid ones that could be argued are: 1) Danielle was not mentally competent at the time of the last update, which was on March 19th; 2) Her estate was undervalued, either by not including all assets or by withholding income; and 3) Infidelity which should disqualify me from claiming community property.

Dani: When will you be free of this?

Marc: I have nine months to execute all provisions of the trust, so it will be until the end of January before I am 100% free from the possibility of a contest.

Dani: Anything else?

Marc: That claim of yours earlier, it hit me in a bit of a bad spot. I'm not at the point where I'm OK with you calling me yours. I know that I treat you as though you're my partner, and I love you so deeply and completely, princess, but I can't ask you to be so just yet, especially with the possibility of vultures looking to get after one or both of us if we were to go public now. If you're concerned that I'm not really into this or that you're going to lose me, fear not. The plans we have right now for the next six weeks or so should be proof enough that I'm not going anywhere. The banquet on Friday night, then Irish Fest next weekend, the Macalester tournament and Minnesota State Fair over Labor Day, then your birthday celebrations a couple of weeks after that. That doesn't include the All-Sports Mixer or on-the-fly date nights. You start preseason on Tuesday and grad school on the 27th, so things will be pretty busy around Trinity for a while. Right now, my thinking is that, with the mess that could come forth with the estate, the soonest I can see us going public with our partnership would be either the TLU holiday party or Ali and Steph's wedding on New Year's Eve.

Dani: Which sounds exactly like what Laurie told me you would do.

Marc: How's that?

Dani: She said that you always show who you are and what you feel, but in a way where you're not pinned down or backed into a corner. She also told me that she hopes I am the next chapter in your life because she sees between us something that didn't exist between you and Danielle. I know you love me and are devoted to having me be yours, and I promise to be patient as you come to the point where you can ask me to do so.

Marc ran his fingers through Dani's hair, then kissed her deeply and placed his right hand on her bare bottom, squeezing it tenderly. She pressed up against him, allowing his hand to trickle over her womanhood and lightly rub against her lips. Dani moved her hands down to Marc's emerging bulge, stroking it firmly but lovingly. After a few minutes of foreplay and disrobing, Dani and Marc united their bodies and spent the next hour or so expressing to one another the depths of their mutual love.

**********

* The ELCA's Committee on Higher Education met on Thursday morning and heard from a number of college presidents who together were working to elevate their institutions to universities through the addition of graduate and pre-professional programs. They also approved a proposal from Presiding Bishop Beth Ellering and Metropolitan Chicago Synod Bishop Wayne Michaels to create a new ELCA-affiliated college on the campus of the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC), to open in July 2021.

* At the Trinity Lutheran University Board of Trustees meeting on Friday, Jamie Krueger represented the athletic department and submitted for approval the hiring of several fall season assistant coaches along with a four-year contract for Sarah Hawthorne as head women's lacrosse coach. Marc put forth a proposal to appoint Jamie as associate chaplain, which was approved by acclamation.

* The Assembly's final banquet on Friday night gave the Greater Milwaukee Synod one last opportunity to impress the delegates. Following dinner, Rev. Matt Sherman read off the list of individuals who had been approved for candidacy as rostered leaders in the ELCA. Alyssa Norman and Stephanie Lafleur were on the list, while Brian Hogan (Carli Lowe's boyfriend) was granted provisional approval due to some concerns about boundaries which arose during his Clinical Pastoral Experience over the summer.


	2. Let's Get It Started

The Trinity Lutheran campus was buzzing on Monday morning as fall athletes began moving into the residence halls ahead of their first official practices on Tuesday. Augsburg Hall as usual was the busiest place as a large number of athletes reside there due to its seclusion from the higher-traffic parts of campus and its proximity to the athletic complex.

Savannah Stark was one of the first to arrive at Augsburg with her car as well as that of her girlfriend, Emma Preston, and her parents' minivan packed with her belongings. After meeting with her hall director, Hope Stevens, she and the others started hauling in boxes, crates, and suitcases to load into the elevator for the ride to the third floor, where she and Emma would be living. Once at their room, Savannah opened the door and the rest of the party brought the first portion of her things in.

Savannah: Pretty bland, but we'll make this place look more like home over the next few days. Emma, are you still planning to bring some of your stuff up here after we get all of mine into the room?

Emma: Probably just the things that you won't already have in here and might want for the 10 days before I can move in officially.

Ashley Stark: Sav, can we go back down and get the next load? I have to be at work at 10 and Mom would like to start cleaning up the mess that's been left behind from the packing.

Savannah: Yeah, ma!

After a couple more trips to their vehicles, everything of Savannah's was in her and Emma's room. Ashley and her wife, Jane, said goodbye to their daughter and her girl, then left Augsburg to get onto their day, leaving the two freshmen behind.

Emma: Just you and me right now. I hope you won't get too lonely the several nights you're here by yourself.

Savannah: I'll be busy with field hockey practice, getting to know my teammates, hanging out I'm sure with some of the other athletes on the floor. Do we know anyone else that's coming in today?

Emma: I'm not sure. We'll find out soon enough, right?

Savannah: Right. Wanna go back to your place and get what you want to bring over?

Emma: Better do it now before the traffic picks up around here.

The two of them exited their room and took the stairs down to the first floor to depart from Augsburg for their trip to Emma's parents' house in Brown Deer.

**********

Marc was on a walk-about around campus, taking stock of the move-in process for Trinity's first arrivals this fall. He stopped by Tietjen Hall and introduced himself to its director, Bob Covington. He also met a couple of incoming women's tennis players (Sabrina Darcy and Janine Beattie) and a handful of football players. On the way back to his office, he received a text from Cali asking if he'd be able to help her and Dani move her stuff into her and Erin's room when they arrive around 1:00. He messaged her back with confirmation and locked himself into his office in Luther Hall to get some work accomplished. His voicemail had two messages on it, one from Bishop Emerson and the other from Val Matheson.

Paul Emerson: Marc, this is Paul. If you haven't seen the Journal/Sentinel this morning, a fair number of Churchwide attendees were caught up in a raid done by MPD on a handful of hotels around Water and Wisconsin on Saturday night. Several were arrested for solicitation, which as you know leaves a serious black mark on all the good accomplished last week by the delegates and committees. You think this might be something TLU's "alumni relations" club had a hand in? Ask around today if you can among the incoming athletes and get back to me with whatever information you have. I'll need to say something tomorrow on this matter, and I would like to be sure that I don't point a finger where it shouldn't be directed.

Val: Marc, it's Val. We're planning on leaving Rockford at noon on Friday, which would get us to Milwaukee around 4pm your time. Will we be able to move any of Erin's stuff into her room when we arrive, or will we need to wait until Monday to do that? Call when you get a chance. Steph, Elliott, and Suzanne will be driving to Milwaukee with us and we're planning on going to Mo's Irish Pub in Wauwatosa for dinner after everything and everyone is settled.

Marc called Hope to get clarification on the moving-in rules when one of the two occupants is already on campus.

Marc: Hope, it's Marc Schmidt. Erin's mom called me to ask about being able to move some of her stuff in on Friday as her roommate will already be on campus since she plays for the women's soccer team. Is that allowable, or will she have to wait until Monday to move in with the rest of the peer ministers and orientation leaders?

Hope: We don't inventory what students bring in, so there is really no way of knowing if the belongings are hers or her roommate's. So long as the current occupant is with her, she's free to bring things into her room. She cannot stay in the room, however, until her move-in date, which will be Monday as you said.

The pair talked for a few minutes about their summers and plans on their plates for the start of the new year. After finishing his call with Hope, Marc dialed up Val.

Marc: Val, Marc here. I talked to Erin's hall director and, so long as Cali is with her, she can bring things into their room on Friday. She can't actually reside in it until her scheduled move-in date, which is Monday.

Val: Thanks for the response. How are you doing now that it's just you?

Marc: It's been manageable. Been seeing my therapist a little more often than before. Also been spending time with another psychologist who I know through two of the coaches at Trinity to get a guy's perspective on the feelings and emotions I have while I go through the grieving process.

Val took a few moments to consider how she wanted to ask Marc about him and Dani before leaping forward with a question. "I'm curious, what's the deal between you and Cali's cousin? Erin showed me pictures of the two of you in Boston for the Fourth of July and she was by your side for most of the events following Danielle's death. I know she's a coach at the school, but anything beyond that?"

Marc: I really don't want to answer that question, because it's no-win. I'll start with the facts and then go into the emotional stuff. Dani played for my summer league team when she was in college and we got re-acquainted when she was hired at Trinity. As for beyond that, she is who I want to be with when I'm ready to start another relationship, but I'm not at that point right now. She, Erin, and Steph are friends-bordering-on-sisters-bordering-on-steprelatives. It's one of the reasons why I think Erin decided to room with Cali, their common bond with Dani and the desire to build a stronger friendship with each other should she and I end up getting together.

Val: For what it's worth, I think you two make an excellent couple and might be what each other needs at this stage of your lives. You need to be recharged after a business-type marriage with Danielle, and from what Erin tells me about her, she needs a person who accepts her completely and loves her in spite of how she feels about herself. Will Jim and I get to meet her while we're there this weekend?

Marc: Yes. She'll be coming to Irish Fest with me on Saturday so I have some support when Danielle's band memorialize her during their performance. Speaking of that, her and Cali are supposed to be coming to campus shortly and I promised to help them move her in, so I need to be running.

Val: Take care, Marc, and we'll see you on Friday.

After hanging up with Val, Marc did some research on the solicitation sting from Saturday night to pull together information he could use to ask questions of some of the returning athletes in the afternoon.

**********

Savannah and Emma had gotten back to Augsburg before the early afternoon rush began. The pair hung out in their room for a bit, then decided to wander the hall and see who else was moving onto the floor. When they saw one of their floormates struggling to move a mini-fridge into her room, they offered to help and the three started talking.

Katelyn Rollins: Thanks for helping me lug this thing into the room. My dad was supposed to help me move in today, but he ran into a bit of a problem over the weekend and had to back out. I'm Katelyn.

Savannah: Savannah, and this is my roommate and girlfriend, Emma.

Katelyn: Pleased to meet you. So you live across the hall?

Emma: Yes. According to one of my future lacrosse teammates, a lot of athletes are on this floor.

Katelyn: Lacrosse? My sister Kendra plays and is hoping to be part of the team here in a few years. As for me, I'm a volleyball player.

Savannah: Emma and I both played lacrosse in high school, but won't here. I'm playing field hockey instead.

Katelyn: I don't know really anything about my roommate, just that she won't be arriving until the 22nd and that she has twin brothers who will be coming to Trinity as well.

Down the hall, three others were walking toward the freshmen with boxes in their arms. They stopped about 2/3 of the way toward them and the resident of the trio unlocked her door.

Cali (to Marc and Dani): Just put the boxes wherever you want. I can spend my off-time this week getting my side set up so Erin can work on her side when she moves in next Monday.

Marc: Actually, she can start moving her stuff into the room when her and Steph get to Milwaukee on Friday. Can't actually live here until the 19th, and Steph can't move in until then, either.

Cali: Ready for another load?

Dani: Yep.

Marc led the other two out, but was stopped by a shout.

Emma: MARC!

He turned to his left and saw Emma walking toward him, followed by Savannah and Katelyn.

Marc: And I thought I'd be able to come over here and not run into anyone today.

After exchanging hugs with Emma and Savannah, Marc asked, "All moved in, you two?"

Emma: I can't officially move in until the 22nd, but I brought some of my things in after Savannah had her stuff unloaded and in the room.

Marc: Gotcha. Who's the third member of this party?

Katelyn: Katelyn Rollins, freshman volleyball player.

Marc introduced himself and the other two to Katelyn. "I'm the campus chaplain, Dani is Cali's cousin and the assistant soccer coach here, and Cali is my goddaughter's roommate."

Cali: Us three, my roommate, and her girlfriend are sort of like one big extended family. Erin and Steph are friends with Dani, who played for Marc in the state women's league, and he's been mistaken as the three of them's dad on more than one occasion.

Katelyn: That must be embarrassing.

Marc: It's hard to explain how three women who could easily pass for sisters are nowhere near related, and definitely not related to me. Emma, Savannah, I don't think I ever thanked you for coming to Danielle's visitation.

Savannah: After seeing how Erin was dealing with her passing that Saturday at the game, Emma recommended that we come up and offer her some support.

Marc: It was very much appreciated by her and myself.

Katelyn: Who was Danielle?

Marc: My wife of almost 22 years. She passed away near the end of April from a stroke.

Katelyn: My condolences.

Marc: Thanks. We better finish unloading Cali and Dani's vehicles before Trinity's finest get to ticketing.

Emma: We'll help.

After Cali and Katelyn locked their doors, the six of them went back down to the first floor to get the remainder of Cali's belongings. After everything was in the room, Marc asked Cali and Dani what they might know about their players' whereabouts on Saturday night.

Dani: This have anything to do with the arrests downtown following Churchwide Assembly?

Marc: Yes. Paul called and requested that I ask around to see if there's a connection.

Cali: I haven't talked to or seen anyone on the team since the World Cup party at your place at the end of June.

Dani: I don't doubt that Gavin might have tried to use the event to make a killing in pursuit of his grand plan, but I'm not aware that any of our players were part of it. Maybe he extended his reach into the general student body or focused on teams that wouldn't be in season as of tomorrow.

Marc: From the Journal/Sentinel article and what limited research I was able to do, the only people charged were the invited as the sting was aimed at them and not at the other side of the transactions.

Katelyn (upset): I've gotta go. See you again soon.

Katelyn got up and walked out of Cali and Erin's room. Marc, sensing that their conversation had made Katelyn uncomfortable, went to catch up to her. With no luck after a few minutes of searching, he started to walk back to his office. As he passed Bonhoeffer Chapel, he saw Katelyn on the stairs clutching herself in a tight embrace. He walked over and sat down next to her.

Marc: Wanna tell me what's wrong?

Katelyn: My father was one of those arrested on Saturday night. He insists he wasn't a potential participant in whatever acts the other two pastors paid for, but had been with them when they went to the elevators and got caught up in the sweep. My mom doesn't believe him and wonders if he's done this in the past. He was supposed to help me move in today, but instead he is trying to save his job and marriage from ending over what he claims is a false charge.

Marc: I'm so sorry. The reason Coach Dillon and I were talking about it is because we suspect there is a prostitution ring being run from within the athletic department, with her team being at the center of it. We haven't been able to get anyone with inside knowledge to blow the whistle or enough corroboration from outside sources to launch an official investigation. My friend, who is Chief Financial Officer of the ELCA, has been trying to take it down by way of forensic accounting, but the athletic director and his minions have been able to stay one step ahead of the paper trail. If you want, I can give your dad a call and hear his side of the story, then talk to Bishop Emerson and/or Rev. Sherman on his behalf. I have to call the bishop with some kind of information before I leave today so he can address it publicly tomorrow, so I'll inform him of the possibility for some of the charges to be dismissed.

Katelyn: Would you?

Marc: Sure.

The two stood up and Katelyn wiped her eyes, then hugged Marc and thanked him for listening to her and offering to help her dad. Savannah came over and dragged Katelyn with her and Cali to Siebert for dinner. Marc went to his office, informed Bishop Emerson of what he knew, and then left campus for the evening.


	3. The Kindness Of Strangers

Rev. Joseph Rollins: Pastor Rollins.

Marc: Joe, this is Marc Schmidt, the chaplain at Trinity Lutheran University. I talked with your daughter, Katelyn, yesterday and she told me that you had gotten into a bit of a tight spot following Churchwide, I told her I'd call you to get the story then try to intervene with Bishop Emerson or Matt Sherman to get things resolved.

Joe: Before I get into that, I want to say that you definitely are a character. How you handled the dancing competition on Wednesday night was just perfect. Where does the on-stage persona come from?

Marc: Some of it is my vast knowledge of pop culture and being able to poke fun at it, while the other came from learning that it is far better to extract laughter from others than fear.

Joe: Seriously, how did you get those three judges?

Marc: I have known the three of them for somewhere between 15 and 20 years. Attended Western Michigan with Rev. Laing, and he's also the pastor at the parish my goddaughter and her parents attend. The other two I met through Lutheran Student Movement while they were undergraduates. And yes, there is a story behind Jared's suit of outlandish color. Anyhow, what happened on Saturday night?

Joe: A couple of pastors from my conference and I were having a drink or two in the bar at the Garden Inn when we were approached by a young woman, probably late 20's. She asked if we were in town for the Assembly and Gene Ragland said yes. She then said that she thought we should be rewarded for the hard work we probably did over the past week, "if you catch my drift." Gene and Allen Ludwig nodded that they understood what the woman, who said her name was Mandy, was offering and they asked about the cost for this reward. After Allen and her agreed on a number, she left the table and he threw down half of it, wanting the other two of us to pay the other half. I declined and said I was going to head up to my room shortly. They put together their money and left it on the edge of the table. Mandy came back a couple of minutes later to pick it up and told them to give her and her friends about 15 minutes before coming up to their room. I stayed with the two of them in the bar until they left for the elevators, at which time an undercover cop stopped us and hauled all three of us in for solicitation.

Marc: So wrong place, wrong time?

Joe: Yes. My wife doesn't believe that to be the case and I've been spending long hours at the church to avoid talking with her about it.

Marc: I'll call Paul and give him your version of the events. Hopefully, he will be able to get the other two to corroborate it and thus you don't face synodical discipline. Don't know the speed at which this will happen, but the sooner the better, I'm sure. Is Katelyn looking to follow you into the business or running as far away from it as possible, since those tend to be the two ways PK's go once they get to college?

Joe: She's interested in the pastorate as a possible career, but I don't think she has settled on it for sure. She's planning to major in social work at the moment, which still provides a pathway to the pulpit or to the roster as a diaconal minister.

Marc: I'll have to pick her brain when I get a chance. Sit tight and don't panic. Everything should work out provided the other two don't try to drag you along for the ride.

Joe: Thanks, Marc. Hope to get a chance to meet you at some point soon.

Marc: Same here. Take care.

After jotting down some notes and organizing his suggestions for Paul, he gave him a call.

Bishop Paul Emerson: Bishop Emerson.

Marc: Paul, it's Marc Schmidt. I mentioned yesterday that I might have additional news for you today concerning Saturday night's sting. I spoke with one of those arrested, Rev. Joe Rollins, at the request of his daughter who's a member of the volleyball team here. He stated that he did not agree with the other two in his party to contract for the services of a prostitute nor did he provide any funds for that purpose, that he had been at the elevators with the pair and was swept up by an undercover cop.

Paul looked over the names listed in yesterday's Journal/Sentinel and found his along with the other two picked up at the Garden Inn.

Paul: Do you believe him?

Marc: I do. The explanation of the conversation between the lady and the two of them, combined with the back-and-forth of the three men makes me believe that it was a case of "grab 'em all and sort it out later", since I am sort of sure that the cop didn't actually hear the table talk but saw the offer and then the money on the table.

Paul: I'll have to talk to Revs. Ragland and Ludwig to get their sides of this story. Hopefully, I can catch both of them this afternoon and pass my judgment of the matter following that.

Marc: Thanks, Paul. I'll let you get onto it while I continue working on the upcoming peer ministry orientation sessions.

**********

Katelyn talked to Jamie after practice, wanting to let her head coach know about what had happened over the weekend and how her head was a little bit elsewhere at the moment. Jamie understood the concern and reassured her that both she and Marc would try to help her out from a spiritual and functional perspective.

Bishop Emerson's conversations with Pastors Ragland and Ludwig brought forth contrition and transparency. As no act was committed other than the paying for service that was ultimately not received, Paul was willing to be lenient on them if they gave affidavits to the police exonerating Rev. Rollins and getting the charges against him dismissed.

**********

A hard second day of training for the women's soccer team had been completed and several members of the team gathered in Luther's Landing for lunch.

Cali (to Cami): I wish I had done more conditioning over the summer, as my running after my cousin's kids wasn't enough aerobic exercise even if they DID wear me out most days.

Cami: If Sara is committed to playing the flat 3-4-3, I will need a LOT more stamina to deal with playing end-to-end on the left side.

Cali: The offensive end seems to be coming along with Lexi, Jordan, and myself up top and Carli feeding us balls from deep.

Jordan came over and sat down next to Cali, followed by Lexi and Amber.

Jordan: Is this much conditioning normal for the first couple of days of practice?

Amber: Pretty much. Sara worked us WAY HARD the first week of preseason last year, which led to a couple of early-season wins but ultimately saw the team wear out by the end of the season.

Lexi: Not to mention some of us weren't always in the best of condition after too much fun on Friday nights before the Saturday games.

Cali nodded at Lexi's comment but didn't comment in return as she still harbored a grudge over the woman's false accusation against her cousin last fall.

Amber: Any plans for the weekend yet?

Cali: My roommate comes to town on Friday, so probably help her move some stuff into our room, then dinner with her and her parents I'm guessing.

Jordan: Think I'll just head back to Oak Creek and come back up Sunday night. Lex?

Lexi: Sounds like a good plan. Sergio is going to want to see me and find out what I'm doing up here when he's not looking. Pisses me off that he thinks I should do all the intellectual lifting in our relationship and bring home the bacon. I need to play a bit of catch-up this year after the restrictions I was on last semester and I need to get the grade point up a LOT if I want to take some of my upper-division major courses next year.

Cami: Might do Bristol (Renaissance Faire) on Saturday and Irish Fest Sunday when I can get in free with canned goods. You, Amber?

Amber: Thinking I'll stay on campus and take advantage of the lack of obligations and people here to veg out a bit.

As the soccer players were finishing up and leaving, other athletes were coming into the Grab-and-Go in Albrecht. Savannah Stark grabbed a table with one of her teammates, Kelli Houston, and were joined by a few others. After some introductions, the group gave quick rundowns of their first two days of practice.

Savannah: At USM, we never had such intense shooting drills in practice. The goal was to keep our goalkeeper, who happened to also be my girlfriend, relatively healthy for games so we would train on ball movement and defensive positioning with her in net, then do our shooting work with her out of it.

Kelli: I think I saw you with her on Monday when you were moving in, right?

Savannah: Probably. We're rooming together and she'll be playing lacrosse here.

Sabrina: I'm hoping Coach chooses to use me at doubles instead of singles this year. I should try to drop about 10-15 pounds to elevate my lateral movement on the court, which would then make me a better choice for singles.

Janine: I just want to get matches at the moment, however they come.

Kailen Short: No real difference between training here and training last year at Monona Grove. Same amount of road work. Competition will be a change though, going from 5k to 6k races. Wish Mom and Dad would let me live on-campus, but with my great-aunt living not too far from campus, they don't feel they should spend the money on a dorm and meal plan.

Savannah: That sucks. I'm from Bayside, just down I-43 from here, but my moms had no problem with me wanting to live on-campus and my living with Emma.

Sabrina: You have two moms?

Savannah: Yes. Bit different than most families, but not as odd as one would think.

Kelli: Savs, we better get over to Buuck and put in our lifting time while the football team is using the stadium.

Savannah: Good idea.

Janine: Nice meeting the two of you and I'm sure our paths will cross again soon.

Kelli and Savannah left to go to the athletic center, while Janine and Sabrina went back to Tietjen and Kailen headed for her great-aunt's place in Whitefish Bay.

**********

Marc wrapped up his Wednesday night by calling Laurie on Skype to get plans made for Matt's arrival to campus next Thursday and his road trip to the Twin Cities for Labor Day weekend.

Marc: Sis, when are you and Matty Boy planning to get to Trinity?

Laurie: We're going to drive down on Wednesday, stay with Thomas and Susan overnight, then come up to campus on Thursday morning so I can return to the Cities before it gets too late.

Marc: Pretty smart move there. I should be out and about on campus at that time of day, so most likely you'll have myself and the girls to help you and him get his stuff into the hall. Which one is he in?

Laurie: Augsburg.

Marc: Swell. Let him know the hall director is a hard-ass and won't hesitate to crack down on him if he acts stupid. The hall is home to a number of athletes, some of my peer ministers, and of course, Erin and Steph.

Laurie: Are they rooming together?

Marc: No. They chose to wait a year before considering that, so she's rooming with Alyssa and Erin is rooming with Cali.

Laurie: Interesting......

Marc: What are you thinking?

Laurie: That together they could cook up some matchmaking of you and Dani.

Marc: I don't need help in that department, thankyouverymuch. I'm just not ready yet to say yes to a commitment with her. With Julie pushing on Brenda and Roger to contest the trust, any possible snags in getting probate completed wouldn't be good. Speaking of her, the women's soccer team is coming to St. Paul over Labor Day weekend to play two games at Macalester. I, Erin, Steph, and the two Minnesota lacrosse players are planning to come up for the games, which are Friday the 30th at 4:30 and Sunday the 1st at 1:30, and most likely go to the State Fair on the 31st. You, Will, and the kids interested in joining us for any or all of it?

Laurie: I'm definitely in, because I want to spend time with your mob and grill Erin and Steph on my boy's first week in school and Dani about you and her. As for the others, I'll ask them before the weekend and let you know when we see you next week.

Marc: I guess that wraps up what I called about. Give my best to everyone and I'll see you next Thursday.

**********

On Thursday morning, Bishop Emerson notified Pastor Rollins that Revs. Ludwig and Ragland had gone to the police and clarified their stories about Saturday night, exonerating him of any involvement in the crime, after which the charges against him were dismissed. Joe thanked Paul for believing Marc and investigating his claims about the incident.

After morning practices, Cali and Katelyn got together for lunch, during which they watched some videos from the YouTube channel of Katelyn's roommate, aspiring sports reporter Tori Abrams. Following their binge of Tori interviews, Katelyn went over to Luther Hall to see what had transpired in the past two days. Marc told her that Paul had gotten the other two pastors to admit to their parts in the solicitation while also mentioning that her dad had refused to participate, and that the charges against him were dismissed yesterday after the others went to the police to clarify their stories. Katelyn was overcome with joy and relief, hugging Marc tightly. The two then talked about her academic and career goals based on what he learned from Joe on Tuesday. She shared with him about her desire to possibly enter the pastorate and her heart for the downtrodden, to which he informed her of opportunities available through his office and the Lutheran Student Movement off-shoot that Cali and Erin would head up. Once Katelyn left the office, Marc locked up and then went to pick up Dani to go down to Maier Festival Park for the opening night of Milwaukee Irish Fest, where they would be met by Michelle and Dawson.


	4. Carefree Highway

A VERY long Friday for the Lafleurs began with them leaving their home in Kitchener, ON at 5:30am for the 5 1/2 hour trip to Rockford, MI where they would meet up with Erin and her parents before embarking on another 5 hour trip to arrive at Trinity. Steph and Elliott packed their minivan the previous evening so they wouldn't disturb their neighbors with their early morning departure.

Elliott drove the first portion of the trip, which got them to the US/Canada border. After a quick stop in the Duty-Free store to use the restroom and pick up some libations for the weekend, Steph drove over the Blue Water Bridge and dealt with the customs official in Port Huron, MI. Passage being smooth, the three of them were on their way to Rockford. Steph and Erin hadn't seen one another outside of Skype since early June, when Erin visited her girlfriend in Kitchener following the couple of days that Steph spent in Rockford with her once Spring semester ended.

Steph: Dad, whatever you do, do NOT get into a joke fight with Marc. He will DESTROY you, and you'll only have yourself to blame.

Elliott: He's that funny, eh?

Steph: Did I tell you how he took down D-Math at last year's College Cup and razzed Quinny something fierce over her hair? Or the step stool gag when Diana and Rhian got married on Valentine's Day?

Elliott: Consider me warned. Have you talked to him since coming home for the summer?

Steph: A few times, most recently during the US/Canada match at the Women's World Cup.

Elliott: How is he doing from what you or Erin know?

Steph: He's managing. The busyness of his summer helped I'm sure, as did his reliance on Coach Dillon to fill Danielle's void at times.

Elliott: She's the one we met at Concordia-Ann Arbor, right?

Steph: Right. Her, I, and Erin are close in different ways, but her and Marc are, well, more than close.

Suzanne: Like, together close?

Steph: As close as you can be in that regard without it being a dating relationship. I'm sure you'll see the two of them together at some point before you return on Monday afternoon.

Elliott: When is Alyssa going to be moving into the dorms?

Steph: I'm thinking she'll come Monday afternoon since she lives 20 minutes or so away from campus.

Steph got off I-69 and onto I-96, then took the first exit to fill up the gas tank and freshen up before finishing the first leg of the trip.

**********

The peer ministry team's cute-and-squishy couple were on the phone working out their schedule for move-in.

Christen: Jules, when are you getting into Milwaukee?

Julie: 4pm on Sunday. Will your parents be helping us get both my and your stuff up to campus on Monday?

Christen: My dad will, and you know Steph, Erin, and Marc will already be there so I'm sure they will help us get our things up to our room.

Julie: Can't wait to see you, and hug you, and tell you how happy you make me when we're together.

Christen: That goes for me, too. I have missed your presence SO MUCH this summer. I know we FaceTime and all that, but it doesn't make up for the two of us not being in the same place.

Julie: We're going to ship some of my non-essential items from here via Fed Ex. Hopefully, they will arrive on Tuesday. Saying that, Mom wants to get it done before the Friday afternoon package rush hits. Love you, Chrissy, and I look forward to sprinting into your arms on Sunday afternoon.

Christen: Love you more, angel. MUAH.

**********

On the road in Indiana, the three vehicles carrying the six members of the Matheson/Lafleur contingent were staying fairly close to one another on I-94. In Erin's car, she and Steph were singing along to the radio and enjoying the time for reacquaintance that their traveling together allowed, holding hands and being sweet with each other. Val and Suzanne were in the former's minivan, while Elliott had Jim riding shotgun in his.

Steph: Do you know what the plans are for Thursday's team meeting?

Erin: Since it's Sarah and not Lauren in charge, I'm sure she will want to lay down the off-season law and point out campus resources at our disposal. I also think we'll have bonding time, but it will be less awkward than last year's since a lot of the players will already know each other and I think Sarah, Sam, and Lauren will have some ideas on what they want to accomplish with it.

Steph pulled her necklace out from under her quarter-zip and looked at it. "Remember when Marc gave this to me and the description for the large number of stones?" Erin said that she did and Steph continued. "I was thinking, tonight could be the first time when every person on the necklace will be in the same place. Marc wasn't with us in Ann Arbor, my parents weren't at Danielle's funeral, and Dani wasn't part of the Thanksgiving Day game and dinner in Detroit/Windsor."

Erin: I hope our parents don't get to prying too much. I know Dani is coming to Irish Fest with us tomorrow. Not sure about dinner tonight after we move some of my things into the room.

Steph: My mom asked me if there were together after I told my dad that he was doing alright and that Dani had been a leaning post for him the last couple of months. I told her that they weren't dating each other, but that their relationship was as close as one could come to that without it being so.

###

Suzanne: Val, what do you think about the possibility of Marc getting together with someone barely older than Erin or Steph?

Val: I think that it would be good for the two of them if that happens. Dani brings a different energy than Danielle did, something that Marc needs as he transitions into life as a middle-aged single person. As for the other side of it, Marc offers a level of stability and reassurance that she finds attractive, according to Erin. Doesn't hurt that our two girls get along well with her, so much so that they were mistaken for sisters at the wedding Marc officiated in North Carolina in December.

Suzanne: Elliott and I met her at the Trinity/Concordia-Ann Arbor game and she seems sweet, but that was with her being a member of the school's athletic department and not as Marc's significant other.

Val: If you're concerned about her influencing Steph wrongly, take it up with her this weekend. She's going to be with Marc at Irish Fest tomorrow for sure, and probably also on Sunday.

Suzanne: Any chance she might join us for dinner tonight?

Val: I can ask Cali to invite her when we get to campus.

###

Elliott: I remember when we had dinner together on Thanksgiving Day, you were sort of cautious about Steph and Erin's relationship, as were all of us. Now, nine months or so later, what's your opinion?

Jim: Your daughter is someone who I can see being part of Erin's life for a very long time. The love between them is unmistakable and, like you said back then, they have good people at Trinity to help them if things go off-course. I've been grateful for how Marc has taken to playing an outsize role with Erin on the personal and professional front, and he's doing the same for Steph. You?

Elliott: Erin is exactly what Steph needs. Someone who won't put up with her bullshit, who will hold her feet to the fire if she's dragging them on certain things, like telling her teammate to HIT THE BRICKS, and who isn't afraid to utilize others around her when necessary to get my daughter to do the right thing. I truly hope Steph doesn't screw this up, because Erin's a real winner and someone I would like to have as a daughter-in-law.

Jim: What about Marc and this new Danielle? Something, not something?

Elliott: Steph told me that she had been a comfort to him as he's dealt with his grief. They went to Boston together for Fourth of July week. I didn't think he'd be jumping into another relationship so soon, but maybe the best way to get over one person is by getting together with someone else.

Jim: Val got more out of him when they talked earlier this week. She'll be at Irish Fest with all of us tomorrow. Maybe the four of us should find a time to speak with the two of them and find out what's what and inquire about its potential effect on our daughters.

Elliott: Not a bad idea.

**********

Carli, Allie, and Sara Manning were in the latter's office discussing the weekend's off-campus plans.

Sara Manning (head women's soccer coach): Last weekend went VERY well, aside from some of the Joes getting picked off by the cops. Carli, I have to give you credit for enlisting your boyfriend to bring us some additional clients for the earlier days of the convention.

Carli: I offered him a full description of what I do with my benefactors while he played it out with me as an enticement for him to get some of his seminary classmates to give us a bit of a good time. Granted, the two I had were sort of shy and pretty inexperienced, but once I told them what I wanted them to do and gave them some verbal encouragement, they got the hang of it. One of them was quite thick, which made sucking him off difficult. He also stretched me pretty good. The other was normal-sized, so he was definitely a more satisfying lay.

Allie: Brian wasn't that bad when he and I rolled. You must have him trained pretty well, as he knew the right areas to touch to get a reaction out of me.

Carli: That's one reason I'm with him, because he can be a maniac in bed but always tries to please me sexually.

Sara: Our schedule for the weekend is as follows: Tonight and tomorrow night, three at the Baymont and three at La Quinta. Tonight, the two of you are handling a group of concert-goers at the Hyatt Place Downtown and will have tomorrow night off since their request is going to wear both of you out.

Carli: What did Gavin think of the amount of money we brought in from Churchwide?

Sara: He was impressed at how much some of the pastors were willing to pay for some company on Friday and Saturday nights. I'm hoping that we'll be able to take our whole roster to St. Paul for the tournament in two weeks, but that means recruiting some of the freshmen athletes on other teams to stay here over Labor Day weekend to handle the requests that come.

Allie: I'll ask around next week once the Winter and Spring athletes get on-campus. You have a list of recruits who mentioned an interest in our ambassador program, correct?

Sara: Yes. I'll email you the file when I get home tonight.

Carli: Anything else we need to know before we go back to our room and get ready for the night's activities?

Sara: Have protection and use it. I don't know how "clean" your clients tonight will be, so take it on yourself to keep the STDs and baby juice at bay.

Carli and Allie left Sara's office and picked up some food from Albrecht before returning to their room for a bit of rest ahead of work.


	5. The Gathering

StephLafleur: We just passed the state line. Be there in about 45 minutes. Rally the troops.

After receiving the above message from Steph, Marc called Cali to let her know about her and Erin's impending arrival, then walked over to Augsburg with a couple of boxes he brought of Erin's from home. Cali met him in the lobby and they went upstairs to the third floor to drop off Erin's belongings in their room. Walking back down the stairs, Marc and Cali passed Savannah, who was still on campus awaiting Emma's arrival so the two of them could go to Journal Sentinel A La Carte at the Milwaukee County Zoo. Once back downstairs, the pair waited outside the residence hall for the Mathesons and Lafleurs to show up.

Marc: What's Dani up to this evening?

Cali: She mentioned going to Lane Bryant to pick out something new for the All-Sports Mixer on the 28th. Also probably doing some research so she can help Steph and Alyssa with outfits as well.

Marc: Happy to have the others coming back soon?

Cali: Very! I have liked getting to know Savannah and Katelyn this week, but I will be glad to see all the sophomore athletes back on the floor come Thursday.

Marc: Still trying to figure out how I'm working that day. My sister and nephew are coming down Wednesday and staying with his uncle and aunt in South Milwaukee that night before moving him in on Thursday morning, and I think Erin, Steph, and I will be helping them. I'll also have to make sure everything is prepared for the opening service at 4 and get my homily finished since Peer Ministry orientation will take up a good portion of Tuesday and Wednesday.

Cali: Are you planning to have an overarching theme for the year's messages or just what hits you from the passages for the day?

Marc: After stressing last year that love would be how we as a campus community move past the schism and merge the diverse student bodies present at Trinity, I want to build on that with the concept of second chances, that college is one of the foremost laboratories for students to find their true selves, or to reinvent themselves from who they were in high school or before. I will introduce the first aspect of this at Monday night's peer ministry orientation session, because the 14 of you will need to come to terms with the role you can play in expressing God's grace to the mistake-prone, the shamed, and the dissatisfied around you.

Coming down Thunder Road, which runs past Buuck Athletic Center, Niemoller Field, and Niedermeyer Park, were the three vehicles finishing their trip from Rockford. Once Erin had parked her car, she and Steph jumped out and walked swiftly over to Marc and Cali, exchanging hugs with each of them and planting a picture-perfect double-cheek kiss on their favorite Trinitarian. Val, Suzanne, Elliott, and Jim came over to the four of them and discussed what they wanted to move from Val and Erin's vehicles into her room. Cali followed Erin and Steph back to her car, while Marc went with Val to her minivan to start collecting their first load of Erin's belongings. Jim held the door for the five of them as they entered the hall and went to the elevator for the ride to the third floor.

Cali got ahead of the others so she could unlock the door to her and Erin's room, where the rest of them entered and laid Erin's boxes on and next to her bed, dresser, and desk. Steph, Cali, Jim, and Marc went back down to get another load of items while Val and Erin did a little bit of organizing so there would be space for what the other four would bring up in a few minutes. With some assistance from Elliott and Suzanne, the rest of the things Erin brought from home were collected on that trip.

Val: Cali, do you have any dinner plans for tonight?

Cali: Nothing other than possibly meeting up with my cousin after she finishes shopping at Bayshore. Why?

Val: Because we're going to Mo's Irish Pub out on Bluemound and would like you to join us.

Steph: Angela or Dani?

Cali: Dani. She went there looking for a new outfit for the athletic department shindig on the 28th and I think to see if she could nab ones for her on-campus soul sisters.

Erin: She has such good taste and knows how to make my girl look like a million bucks.

Steph blushed at Erin's comment, then pecked her cheek. "You're not so bad yourself, darling."

Marc: Down, down. I don't need to be seeing this, and I'm sure your parents aren't interested in watching you two go gaga with each other.

Suzanne: Invite her along, Cali. The more, the merrier.

Cali, Erin, and Steph looked at each other with a slight bit of trepidation. Marc told everyone that he was going back downstairs to talk with Hope for a few minutes before returning to his office to close shop for the weekend. About ten minutes later, Elliott and Jim went downstairs and caught up with Marc outside Augsburg.

Elliott: I hope Suzanne wasn't being too forward with almost demanding Cali invite Coach Dillon to join us for dinner.

Marc: It's alright. I've figured out that she's a bit brash and determined to make a point from the couple of times we've been together, so I sort of let it go in one ear and out the other. I'm more concerned about Dani because I don't think she's ready to be answering the kind of questions the two women will probably be asking of her.

Jim: Val told me you laid out to her what the situation was between you and her. I hope she will be kind to her based on what she knows.

Marc: Guys, what is your honest opinion about the two of us?

Elliott: I haven't seen you and her together, so I really don't have one at the moment. The only question I had was about the length of time since Danielle's death and whether it was too soon for you to be starting another relationship.

Jim: From our time at the funeral and what we saw of her during the lacrosse season, I can see why you're taken by her. Val let me know what she told you when you talk on Monday. so I'm sort of prepared for what we might see the next couple of days.

Marc: I'm trying to keep it in the close friend category when we're out in public or together on-campus because of the potential for gossiping that could affect our places at the university or my getting probate completed. Danielle's sister-in-law has been trying to get either her brother or sister to contest the trust, which would force me to open the books for the Urban Coaching Project and Dani's contract with it.

Elliott: The age gap, how big is it?

Marc: I'm 47, and she'll turn 25 next month.

Jim: A little big, but still respectable in my opinion.

Elliott: Agreed. I think Suz is probably concerned that her being so close in age to Steph will change the dynamic you have with her as a father figure and shepherd.

Emma drove by Augsburg and parked her SUV, then walked up toward the entrance as the group of women, which included Katelyn and Savannah, came walking out of the residence hall. Emma hugged Erin and Steph upon seeing them and, after a couple of minutes talking to them, Cali, and Katelyn, she and Savannah left hand-in-hand. Katelyn told Marc that she was going home for the weekend and was looking forward to seeing her dad with the mess of the past week being resolved. Cali said that she had gotten a hold of Dani and that she would meet them at Mo's, leading the others to head to their vehicles to make their trek to the restaurant and pub.

**********

After arriving at Mo's, Marc asked the four parents to go in and get a table because he wanted to talk shop with his three peer ministers. Once they were inside, the discussion commenced.

Marc: Oy! This is NOT going to be an easy dinner to get through. REALLY hoping the four of them don't turn tonight into an inquisition, because neither of us is probably prepared for it.

Steph: My mom has a bug up her rump about "propriety", which is why it took her forever to come to terms with my being gay. That sense of right-and-wrong is ingrained into her, due to both her career and her upbringing.

Marc: Explain?

Steph: Her grandparents and several others came to Kitchener from Essen just before World War II broke out, after Hitler had taken over Germany and began enforcing all the anti-XYZ laws. Her dad met her mom at University of Waterloo and they got married afterwards. She was raised Lutheran, but the German variety.

Marc: Which is fairly conservative compared to what the Scandinavians and longer-landed Canadians and Americans practiced. And career?

Steph: She's a chartered accountant, so black-and-white thinking.

Marc: I see where you're coming from. Your dad's French-Canadian if I remember right, which is how you were comfortable enough with the language to translate Rhian's vows at the wedding.

Steph: Right. He was Catholic growing up, like most Quebecois, but "converted" when he and Mom got married.

Cali: Which is high liturgy but a bit more liberal on the social rules of the day.

Marc: Good description. Val and Jim were LCMS before moving to Michigan for him to attend grad school, where the Missouris are more conservative than in Florida. Thus why they switched to ELCA.

Erin: Game plan?

Marc: Keep the conversation moving. If there is no real break, there isn't a place for one of the parents to take a stab at one or both of us.

Dani came walking up to the front door after parking and hugged Erin and Steph, then tousled Cali's hair before looking at Marc. The pair exchanged pecks on the cheek before the five of them went into the restaurant and found their table.

Marc: Dani, I presume you know everyone here from meeting them either on the lacrosse trip to Michigan or at the funeral.

Dani: Glad to see all of you again.

The five new arrivals took their seats and placed their orders when the server returned to their table.

Val: How was the first week of practice, Dani?

Dani: It went pretty well. Some of last year's freshmen made significant jumps during spring practice and it looks to have carried over to the new year.

Erin: That's not what Cali was telling Steph and I earlier. Said that you were breaking them on the rack.

Dani: She's a wimp. Then again, I wasn't all that diligent about my off-season training while in college, even when Marc tried to get us to take our state league team's practices as seriously as we did our college team's.

Suzanne: So you two knew each other before both ending up at Trinity?

Marc: Yes. She was a part of all three seasons I ran the team. The first year, she showed up with one of her friends who was on the team to a practice and I proceeded to stick my foot in my mouth with an ill-advised comment. The second year, she was a key piece to our defense. The final year, she worked on her coaching skills while rehabbing a busted ankle.

Suzanne was looking to follow up with another question, but Elliott beat her to the punch.

Elliott: How was Churchwide?

Marc: Fun, stressful, tiring. Val and Jim's pastor was one of the judges for our Dancing With The Bishops competition. We passed by a healthy margin the Social Statement on Women and Justice, which should now break down the door concerning their ability to lead in the church and the world as a whole. Speaking of that, I have an announcement to make. Steph, you were approved for candidacy, as was Alyssa.

Steph didn't know how to react, as she wanted to yell, scream, fist-pump, and cry all at the same time. After accepting congratulations from everyone at the table, she found a few words to express her feelings.

Steph: This was a roller coaster of a ride over those six months. The interview with our pastor at Wilfrid Laurier went well, and the experience I had picked up over the year working with Marc and the other members of the Peer Ministry Alliance was a big plus, but I didn't know how my lack of action in confronting one of my teammates about her undesired advances on me would be taken into account, as Marc said that he was considering putting that into my file for them to read and discuss.

Marc: After Sarah called you to task and you stepped up and handled it, I felt that there was no need to bring up the issue with your committee. It is still an issue that can be brought up in your end-of-year updates if I see that you're not protecting your relationship with Erin from her. I'm proud of how you dealt with matters in your first year and hope to see the same kind of action over the next three.

Steph: Thanks, XP.

Marc: As for other matters at Churchwide, the Board of Trustees approved Sarah Hawthorne's hiring as head women's lacrosse coach and the four-year contract commensurate with it. I know all of you were hoping she'd be retained, and now she has been. Now she can go about seeking an assistant and moving forward with the program during the next few months of the off-season.

Erin: How soon before we see Nicole back at Trinity?

Steph: Probably as soon as Sarah can offer her the job and she can get moved.

Val: You know who her assistant is going to be?

Steph: Yes. She hinted at it a few times during the last half of the season, when she started rotating me and Nicole in goal and using her as a part-time assistant in practice and on game days when she wouldn't play.

Suzanne: Good move for continuity and it gives you someone to continue to learn from.

Cali: What about the OTHER thing that happened last weekend?

Marc: Bishop Emerson and I got some of the false charges dismissed and are working on finding out whether there is any connection to our ambassadors program.

Val: Trinity has one of those, Marc?

Marc: Yes, and we know some of what they've done so far in the name of "alumni relations". Just not enough good evidence from outside sources or someone on the inside blowing the whistle on what several of us figure is going on.

While the party of nine were concentrating on eating, Suzanne asked a pointed and somewhat unfriendly question.

Suzanne: Dani, you're fairly good-looking and seem to have a great personality. So why are you after someone who's old enough to be your father?

Dani retreated into herself, a natural reaction of hers in situations where conflict is guaranteed. Most of the table looked like they wanted to crawl under it in response to the tension evident. Marc and Dani exchanged a quick eye catch that communicated his preparing to respond to this pseudoattack. As he sat there for a few seconds, the others noticed the sly smirk forming on his face and knew what was about to come, as most of them had been privy to his scorched-earth method of quashing dissent or disposing of conflict.

Marc: First, what gives you the impression that Dani is after me? Second, why does it matter if she is? And third, whose business is it if we were to be an item, which we aren't?

Erin nodded her head once Marc finished, prepared for the verbal beat down he had unleashed on so many in his first year as chaplain. 

Suzanne: I just don't think it is right that a vulnerable woman like her is entranced by someone of your advanced age and life standing. Nor is it right how men in general seek out in their mid-to-late years youthful renditions of their previous spouses.

Elliott: This May/December thing is quite accepted in the college world. Right, Val?

Val: We have had a few at GVSU, and Marc, weren't the LCM pastor at Western and his wife a bit apart on the age spectrum?

Marc: Yeah. He's about 15 years older than her. Married at 43 and 28. Got a couple of professors in the School of Education at Trinity with a slightly-bigger gap. He's 47 and she just turned 30.

Dani: Ben and Megan, right?

Marc: Yep. Have you seen Natalie yet?

Dani: I haven't, but Michelle and Dawson say she is sooooooooo cute.

Erin: She made any more progress with Lily since we spoke with her last semester?

Dani: Not that I'm aware, but Dawson's inclusion of Michelle to his dad and stepmom's circle of friends I think is making up a bit for her troubles with the stepdaughter.

Jim: Care to bring the rest of us up to speed on that last run the three of you went on?

Erin: Ben and Megan Oliphant are professors at Trinity. He's the director of the Educational Leadership program and she teaches early childhood education courses. Dawson is his son, Lily his daughter, and Natalie is their new baby. Michelle is Dani's roommate/best friend and Dawson's girlfriend. He's a second-year law student at Marquette. Dani and I met with Megan to give her some advice on attempting to build a relationship with Lily, based on how she and I had to construct one following my lashing out at her for what I thought was her attempting to steal him from Danielle.

Marc: I am NOT in the mood to have to defend my friendship with Dani or anything that might go beyond that. Just know that she is friends with your daughters and is a special individual to me, and that's all I'm going to say about that for the time being.

Val, Jim, and Elliott respected Marc's position and backed away, knowing that they would get a first-hand experience of the two of them tomorrow at Irish Fest. Suzanne mulled wanting to push forward, but chose to be quiet after the blow back she received from the rest of them.

**********

After getting back to his house, Marc, Dani, Erin, and Steph debriefed in the living room around a four-pack of Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes.

Dani: Did you know Suzanne was going to go off like that?

Marc: We were slightly aware that she might, but had discussed keeping the conversation moving so she couldn't get in with a crack on the two of us.

Steph (to Dani): I am SO sorry that my mom went after you and Marc. You know that I support the two of you in whatever you are, as does Erin.

Erin: Yep. I love you both, and it's nice having a big sister who also makes my second dad happy as hell.

Dani: I think that is what I needed to hear, that our little family is still one big happy after the three months or so apart.

Erin and Steph moved to either side of Dani and squeezed her tight. Marc reached over and took her hand in his, then lifted it up to his lips.

Marc: We'll have to deal with her tomorrow, but I think the other three sort of get it or at least will give us a chance to demonstrate what exists rather than jumping to conclusions and believing the worst.

Dani: Turn in? I think I need some one-on-one time with you after that, and I am SURE these two want to curl up together in Erin's new room for the first time in more than three months.

Finishing off their dessert, the four of them headed upstairs to their rooms at opposite ends of the second floor. Marc and Dani changed quickly, then nestled into one another's arms and talked for a bit about tomorrow's itinerary and how open and public they wanted to be. Over in Erin's room, she and Steph spent a while reconnecting with each other before falling asleep with Erin pressed back against Steph and held warmly by the keeper of her heart.


	6. The Day

A good night's sleep was had by everyone in the Schmidt house, with Marc getting up first to tune into the opening game of the day from the English Premier League, Huddersfield Town versus Bournemouth. A 0-0 scoreline at halftime greeted Steph when she walked into the living room around 7:30.

Marc: Sleep well?

Steph: VERY! Erin and I hadn't shared a bed since our last night on campus in May and I forgot how comforting her presence is for me when I try to fall asleep. You?

Marc: Not too bad. Forgot to bring my Citalopram with me to dinner, so ended up taking it late and it took a bit from then for it take effect so I could go to sleep.

Steph: And Dani?

Marc: Like us sleeping in each other's arms is the most natural thing in the world.

Steph: When are you two going to get together get together?

Marc: I told her last week that it might not be until Ali and Steph's wedding at the end of the year since Danielle's sister-in-law is making a pest of herself with threatening to have Roger or Brenda contest the trust. As for what I feel *here* (tapping his heart), I think it might be when I take her out for her birthday next month that I will make my commitment to her.

Steph: I REALLY hope Dad gave Mom a bit of a talking-to after last night's stand-off. She was out of order calling Dani vulnerable and insinuating that you were taking advantage of that.

Marc: I'm not going to let her opinion affect how I act around her today. You've seen the two of us before lost in each other and I am guessing it will happen during the Red Hot Chilli Pipers show since they have a couple of duet covers that are quite soft and sort of romantic.

Steph: So you singing to her, or mouthing the words to her, might happen?

Marc: Definitely.

The two early birds' partners came downstairs and sat down partially on their persons. After being caught up on the game, Dani told Steph about her shopping trip yesterday.

Dani: While I was at Lane Bryant yesterday, I found dresses for myself as well as ones that I think you and/or Alyssa would look very good in. You two should come over sometime before the Mixer and look through my closet.

Steph: That sounds like a good idea. I think we might have another person to add to our club. She's a volleyball player, built a bit like Alyssa but taller, around my or Sam Mueller's height.

Dani: I think I might have something that would work. Would fit her side-to-side fine, but might run a little short due to the two-to-three inch height difference between her and I.

Steph: Marc, what's our schedule like during orientation?

Marc: Monday night dinner at 6, then 7-10pm. Tuesday 9am-12pm and 1pm-5pm. Wednesday same as Tuesday. Thursday will be 8am-2:30pm for those who are participating in the opening service, 8am-3pm for those who aren't, but you're not going to be stuck helping with move-in the whole time. We'll discuss Thursday's schedule on Tuesday at some point.

Erin: Are we going to be covering our own halls or will we need to spread out so each hall has at least one of us there?

Marc: Another topic for Tuesday. I'd like to have each hall covered, but we need to see what our current spread is at the moment.

Dani: Have you asked these two about Labor Day weekend?

Marc: Not yet, but since you've brought it up...I'm planning to go up to the Cities that weekend because the women's soccer team is playing in a tournament at Macalester. The games are on Friday and Sunday afternoon and I've mentioned to Laurie that we should go to the State Fair on that Saturday. You two want in?

Erin: Would Matt be with us?

Marc: I'd presume so, since it would be pretty odd for him to stay down here for the weekend while all of us go up there.

Steph: If he keeps his macking to a minimum, we should be able to handle him. I'm game. You, Erin?

Erin: Ditto. I want to see Laurie and get some advice for handling the man-child she created and protect our friends and teammates from his Romeo complex. When is he arriving at Trinity?

Marc: He'll be moving into Augsburg on Thursday morning.

When the game ended, the four of them went to get ready for the day to come.

**********

Marc, Dani, Erin, and Steph arrived at Milwaukee Irish Fest around 1pm, an hour before first tuning for the Lady Elgin Memorial Pipes and Drums ahead of their 3:15 performance at the Crossroads, near the center of the massive festival grounds. He exchanged pleasantries with a number of band members already gathered in the warm-up/staging area and introduced the others to them. Jim and Val got to the grounds around 1:30 and met up with the others.

Val (to Marc): Danielle actually played both of those?

Marc (chuckling): Yes, but not at the same time. She played the bass for performances and the tenor in parades and for Honor Flights with the Greater Milwaukee Fire and Police Pipes and Drums.

Jim: How did she get into this?

Marc: She was taking bagpipe lessons when we lived in Kalamazoo. When we eventually ended up here, she wanted to get back into it, but never saw a way where she could afford to get her own set. She had done some drumming in high school, so that seemed the better route. The band was looking for another bass, so that's where she started, as the band's second bass drummer. When the competition drummer decided to leave at the end of her first year, she inherited the position. Don't just stand there outside the gate clogging up traffic, come on in!

The two of them snuck past the gating at the front of the knoll and Jim and Val were introduced to a couple of those gathered.

Marc (walking over to Stacy and Jake): Stacy, you remember my goddaughter, Erin, whose birthday party you played at in March. These are her parents, Jim and Valerie, and her girlfriend, Steph, who I'm sure you met at Danielle's funeral.

Stacy extended her hand to Erin. "Nice to see you again. How have you handled Danielle's passing in the months since it happened?"

Erin: As best as one can. Between my parents, Steph, and Marc, I've had a lot of support.

Stacy (to Jim and Val): This your first time to Irish Fest?

Jim: Yes. We don't live THAT far away from Milwaukee, but never made the trek until now. It coincided with Erin moving back to Trinity and, with Marc knowing that, she was given tickets for all of us to attend for her birthday.

Jake: I'm Jake, Stacy's husband and band videographer.

Val: Is that an official role?

Jake: Not really. It's something to make the more active spouses feel useful.

Marc (to Val): Is there anything you want to see before their performance?

Val: Maybe a quick wander of the grounds between here and there, see what's available for food, see what strikes us.

Marc: Sounds good. Dani and I will meet you over at the Crossroads.

The Mathesons and Steph exited the staging area and strolled south towards the middle of the grounds. Around 2:30, Elliott and Suzanne got to the festival grounds, coming in at the mid-gate. They entered and went immediately to the Crossroads to get seats for Lady Elgin's performance.

Suzanne: Why are we seeing this pipe band?

Elliott: Danielle played bass and tenor drum for them and they are planning to do a remembrance of her during their performance.

Erin, Steph, Val, and Jim walked into the Crossroads from the lake side and saw Steph's parents in the stands. They climbed the stairs and sat down behind them. A few minutes later, Marc and Dani arrived and took seats near the front of the east bleachers. At 3:15, The Lady Elgin Memorial Pipes and Drums entered the Crossroads and began their performance with a medley of "Scotland the Brave" and "Wings". Once they finished the counter-march and circled up, the pipe major, Ken Haslett, signaled the tune to end. The next set of tunes was the band's 2019 competition set, starting with "Castle Dangerous" and concluding with "Chick 'N' Bug". The band's MC, Patrick Herman, introduced the major figures of the band and its history. Their next selections were "Kilworth Hills" followed by the "Clocks" set. After another bit of monologue from Patrick, the band played a slow air called "La Baum" with "Clumsy Lover" after that. 

Patrick: At the end of April, Lady Elgin Memorial lost a member of the pipe band's Trinity as bass drummer Danielle Schmidt passed away following a massive stroke. In her memory, the band will play the song with which she won the 2018 Wisconsin Highland Games bass drum competition, "Highland Lassie". Her friend and competition piper, Denise Parker, will be playing the bass on this tune. Can I have Danielle's widower, Marc, join me at the side of the court?

After giving Dani's hand a squeeze, Marc walked over to Patrick. The pair stood in silence as Ken gave instructions to begin. The pipes turned up and played a solid rendition of the piece, with Denise providing a fitting tribute to her band mate. Following that was "Amazing Grace" and the band's final tune, the Farewell Set.

**********

Just outside the Crossroads, Marc made the rounds with the band, thanking them for remembering Danielle in their Irish Fest performance. Stacy, the two Denises (Parker and Kearney), and Noelle Tabor all gave Marc hugs and asked about his adventures of the past two-plus months. He introduced Dani to them as "my friend and co-conspirator with the Urban Coaching Project", which she took as a positive step forward by the man she loved in acknowledging her. The band headed north to prepare for the parade which would commence at 4:30.

Walking toward the south end of the grounds, Marc and Dani held hands, as did Erin and Steph, to the bemusement of their parents. The eight of them took up spots just north of the Water Street Brewery building to watch the parade, with the taller halves of the couples standing behind their shorter partners. Once the units had passed their post, the group went looking for dinner.

**********

After getting dinner from the stands near the Coors Light stage, Marc led the others to the Sports Pub on the other end of the ground, where Pub Trivia would start at 7:00. Last year, Marc and Danielle won with a near-perfect 39 of 40 points, earning a 10-drink tab. On the way there, they ran into Ben and Megan Oliphant in the North Market. Marc and Dani sent the two sets of parents ahead while they talked with the two of them and Erin and Steph fawned over their newborn daughter, Natalie.

Ben (to Marc): How has the summer been treating you?

Marc: It's been a mixture of relaxing and hectic, with Trinity hosting Synod Assembly just after Spring semester ended and Milwaukee hosting Churchwide Assembly last week. Part of me is glad school is coming back into session so I can get into a normal routine. Also doesn't hurt that I've had some very good support over the last few months.

Megan: Are you two official?

Dani: Not publicly so, but I think it goes without saying that we're each other's first choice for company.

Marc nodded at Dani's description of their relationship. "Did Dawson tell you he and Michelle joined us down here on Thursday night?"

Ben: He did. Told us it was a fun event, which is why we decided to come down tonight for a bit. Can't believe him and Michelle have been together six months already.

Dani: Michelle is completely taken by him, if it doesn't show when they're together.

Megan: Like you are with Marc?

Dani: That obvious?

Megan: Yes. I think I was the same with Ben once I came to terms with him having two teenagers and their skepticism over their dad dating someone so much younger than him.

Dani: According to Michelle, Dawson's becoming more comfortable with it, but Lily is still being distant with the two of you.

Ben: She's going to feel what she feels. Nothing either of us can do to change that, really. I am appreciative for Michelle and Megan's budding friendship and how Dawson is encouraging them to build on it.

Marc: We better let you get to having a good time while we track down these two's parents in the Sports Pub. You on-campus at all this week, Ben?

Ben: I have to be there on Wednesday evening to lead the orientation session for this year's Principal cohort. Otherwise, I'm staying away until next Monday as I don't want to be dealing with all of the freshmen wandering around clueless.

Marc, Dani, and Megan laughed at the last remark because they knew it was true to some extent. Megan told Dani that she'd call her about getting together for lunch with her and Michelle in the near future.

**********

After Pub Trivia, where Team Trinity edged Team Parents 33-31, the group made the short walk to the Leinie's stage to get seats ahead of the Red Hot Chilli Pipers' 10pm performance. Marc told everyone that Danielle and some of her band mates had played with the Chillis on three of the four nights of last year's Irish Fest, adding backup for their cover of Avicii's "Wake Me Up" and "Highland Cathedral".

When the Coronas finished their show, the onstage changeover began, During the intermission, Steph ran to the Tipperary Cafe to pick up some sweet treats for the others. In a few minutes, she returned with eight Irish Cupcakes, which everyone ate quickly. The crowd was starting to grow, with almost all the bleachers filled and the first few rows back from the stage getting cramped for space. Just before 10:00, the stage manager came out to hype the crowd a bit before introducing the night's final act. The Red Hot Chilli Pipers took the stage and began with "Insomnia" followed by "Gimme All Your Lovin" and "Croftinloan Times". The next song was a duet for the band's two vocalists, Coldplay's "Fix You".

When you try your best, but you don't succeed  
When you get what you want, but not what you need  
When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep  
Stuck in reverse  
And the tears come streaming down your face  
When you lose something you can't replace  
When you love someone, but it goes to waste  
Could it be worse?

Lights will guide you home  
And ignite your bones  
And I will try to fix you

And high up above or down below  
When you're too in love to let it go  
But if you never try you'll never know  
Just what you're worth

Lights will guide you home  
And ignite your bones  
And I will try to fix you

Tears stream down your face  
When you lose something you cannot replace  
Tears stream down your face and I  
Tears stream down your face  
I promise you I will learn from my mistakes  
Tears stream down your face and I

Lights will guide you home  
And ignite your bones  
And I will try to fix you

Marc looked down at Dani and mouthed the words to her as the song was being played. She smiled up at him and stared into his eyes, then leaned up and kissed him, which caused Erin and Steph to smile and "awwww" at the sight. Later in the show, Dani would do the reverse to Snow Patrol's "Chasing Cars".

We'll do it all, Everything, On our own  
We don't need, Anything, Or anyone

If I lay here, If I just lay here  
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

I don't quite know, How to say, How I feel  
Those three words, Are said too much, They're not enough

If I lay here, If I just lay here  
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

Forget what we're told, Before we get too old  
Show me a garden that's bursting into life 

Let's waste time, Chasing cars, Around our heads  
I need your grace, To remind me, To find my own

If I lay here, If I just lay here  
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

Forget what we're told, Before we get too old  
Show me a garden that's bursting into life

All that I am, All that I ever was  
Is here in your perfect eyes, they're all I can see

I don't know where, Confused about how as well  
Just know that these things will never change for us at all

If I lay here, If I just lay here  
Would you lie with me and just forget the world? 

**********

At the conclusion of the concert, Marc went to the stage exit and waited for the band to come down. He introduced himself to the members and reminded them of last year's performances with Lady Elgin Memorial, then informed them of Danielle's passing. Following that, he met up with the others and they left the grounds, returning to their domiciles to recover for tomorrow.


	7. Answering The Call

A six-vehicle caravan was lined up in front of Marc's house and ready to depart Washington Heights for Trinity at 8:30am. Marc's car had a smattering of Erin and Steph's stored items, with the rest fitting into Erin's car and Val's minivan. Christen texted Erin yesterday and asked about her move-in plans, then gave her dad that information, hoping he would take the hint about her desire to leave for campus with the others from Marc's that morning. The chaplain led the brigade down Washington Blvd. to Hawley Road, where he took a left and headed south to I-94. Traffic was normal for a Monday morning and the group of ten made it to Mequon right before 9am.

**********

With the moving-in process complete and their parents seen off, the four lacrosse athletes got to work on decorating their rooms in the peace and quiet provided by the fall athletes' absence due to practice. Christen and Julie left campus briefly to go to Target and made a couple of joint purchases for their living space. Steph helped Erin get her side organized and somewhat spruced-up before the two went to her room and unpacked and stored her belongings quickly so that Alyssa would have room for her things when she arrived in the early afternoon. Steph lied down on her bed and asked Erin to join her. After doing so, the pair reminisced about last year's Move-In Day. 

Erin: No parents, no Marcy-Marc, no roommates right now. Just you and me.

Steph: Yes, just you and me. A year ago, we didn't know one another from Adam and it was only you drooling over my fine rear end that broke the ice between us.

Erin: I was NOT drooling. Just noticing how well-built it was. You weren't at a loss for spunk that day, either.

Steph: True, but that was after dealing with the three Chicagoans and their tag-along squirrel. God, I can't wait for the rest of the team to get here on Thursday. What do you want to do for lunch?

Erin: I'm thinking.....go get Marc, then wander over to Niemoller and Schreiber and pick up Cali, Savannah, and whoever else, follow them back to Buuck and nab Katelyn. We missing anyone that we know is around?

Steph: Can't think of anyone else. Ready?

Erin: Yeah. I'm going to leave a text for Christen and Julie letting them know about lunch in case they'll be returning shortly and want to join us.

Erin and Steph got up and left the latter's room. After texting Julie, the pair went down to the the lobby and exited Augsburg. A few minutes later, they arrived at Marc's office.

Erin: Is my favorite chaplain in?

Marc: Physically, yes, but mentally I'm still on vacation from Churchwide. What's up?

Erin: The two of us are rounding up the athletes on our floor for lunch and wondered if you wanted to come along.

Marc: As long as you don't mind my geezer self in your midst, sure.

Steph: We'll even invite Dani so you have someone who can laugh at us with you.

Marc and his two quasi-kids walked over to Niemoller Field to watch the last few minutes of women's soccer practice. Despite trying to be inconspicuous, the three of them were noticed by Dani. She smiled broadly at seeing them, then turned her attention back to the defenders she was training. After Sara called the team in and went over the positives and negatives from the session, Cali walked over to where the others had gathered.

Cali: What brings you guys to my neck of the woods?

Erin: I thought it'd be great if we could start off the new year by getting our athletic floor mates together for lunch. You in?

Cali: Heck yeah! Who else you looking to grab?

Erin: Savannah and Katelyn, plus whoever you or they want to bring along. And Dani is invited as well, so XP has someone to make fun of us with.

Cali laughed a little at her peer mentor's description of Marc, then went back and passed the word onto Amber and Cami before following Erin and Steph to Schreiber Stadium, where the field hockey team was practicing. They were able to entice Savannah and Kelli to join their crew before going over to Buuck with them and waiting for the volleyball team to come out of the locker room. Meanwhile, Marc waited at Niemoller for Dani to finish picking up equipment before walking with her over to the athletic center.

Marc: Good practice?

Dani: Meh. Still don't think Sara has thought through how this UNC 3-4-3 is going to work when we don't have the quantity or quality of bodies to run the other team ragged. 11 days until we get to see how good or bad it is.

Marc: I had the most wonderful time with you this weekend. Even though we had to deal with a bit of grumpiness from Suzanne, the other three definitely saw what we have going and I think are good with it.

Dani: As bad as I want to kiss you right now and thank you for Saturday night's profession of love in front of about 7000 of your closest friends, I know that neither of us want the attention that would come with doing that here.

Marc: Erin is rounding up the athletes from Augsburg for lunch and said you should come along so I have someone to make fun of them with.

Dani: Not sure that's the best idea, but if she's being sort of selective, then I don't think it would cause too much of a stir.

Dani smiled and blew a kiss at Marc as she went into Buuck.

**********

The Athletic Pow-Wow at Siebert consisted of: Erin and Steph (WLAX); Cali, Amber Bryant, and Cami Leonard (WSOC); Savannah Stark and Kelli Houston (FH); Katelyn Rollins and Alanna Kemper (WVB); and Marc and Dani. After a round of introductions, talk turned to athletic department happenings.

Savannah: What can any of you returning students tell me about the All-Sports Mixer next Wednesday?

Steph: It's considered a bit of a meat market for the athletes, so take that for what it is. That said, it is NOT one big jock party where letter jackets and sweats are acceptable. Semi-formal I guess is what I'd call it. Dani, you agree?

Dani: That's probably a good description. It's the first chance most student-athletes get to wear something other than practice gear since arriving on-campus and, from what I saw last year, most took advantage of that to show how well they clean up.

Alanna: Question for my demographic. Do any of you have trouble finding dressy stuff that fits?

Katelyn: YES! My mom and I would spend months searching stores for prom and homecoming dresses for me since I'm so hard to fit. If I were slim and tall, I could get away with slightly-shorter hems, but as you all can see I'm not.

Dani: The two of you might want to pay Steph and her roommate a visit. I helped the two of them last year get cute clothes in their slightly-bigger sizes while working at Lane Bryant. I also have a lot of the Curves And More Collection they and Nordstrom sell in my closet.

Savannah: How small does their stuff run? My girlfriend's 5'8" and sort of medium build, but has goalie/linebacker shoulders.

Steph: I was able to get a 10/12 from the collection that was big enough to not feel stretched-out over my shoulders and arms but still formed to my torso and hips.

Erin: My teammate Sam is tall like you two volleyball players, but built like a rail. Dani was able to find her both a dress and a jumpsuit that fit her well. In fact, she, Steph, Alyssa, and Dani all own the Curves And More jumpsuit.

Marc: Steph and Alyssa Norman are two of my Big Three in the Peer Ministry Alliance, so they were very front-and-center last year and always looked sensational in whatever Dani was able to find for them.

Katelyn: When Alyssa broke the gender barrier for the Pre-Seminary Program last year, it made me reconsider coming to Trinity. I'm debating which of the two Churchwide rosters I want to seek, so knowing that I could get my degree in social work while also having a pathway to future theological education put TLU at the top of my list when the college applications went out.

Marc: Did your dad tell you about Trinity becoming a site for the synod's Diakonia program?

Katelyn: No, he didn't.

Erin: Is that the certificate in practical ministry?

Marc: Yes.

Marc returned his attention to Katelyn. "We are taking the two-year program the synod offers and condensing it into four semester-long courses that can be taken as electives or to satisfy your six-credit religion requirement, with consecration as a synodical deacon at its completion. It's meant to be a tack-on to the professional degree programs, like social work, so you can do the church's work in the community in the midst of your chosen career and without the time and expense of attending seminary."

Steph got a text on her phone from Alyssa saying that she was leaving Port Washington and would be at Augsburg inside the half hour. She informed Erin and the two of them, plus Cali and Katelyn, went back to their dorm to wait for her arrival.

**********

Erin unlocked the door to her and Cali's room and saw a note had been slipped under the door. She handed it to her roommate, to whom it had been addressed.

Cali,

I'm heeeeeeeeeeeeere. Come over to Wittenberg when you're free.

<3, Matt

Cali gave a girly squeal after reading it and asked Erin if she and Steph would need her help to move Alyssa in. Erin told her to "GO SEE YOUR MAN" and that they and the others on the floor would handle getting their newest arrival settled. After Cali left, Erin locked her door and went over to Steph's room to help her continue unpacking and decorating her half of the space. Alyssa showed up about 15 minutes later and, with the help of Erin, Steph, Katelyn, Christen, and Julie, had her things into the room in 20 minutes. Savannah stopped by after finishing her weight work at the athletic center and others popped in and out throughout the afternoon.

**********

At the stroke of 7:00, Marc started peer ministry orientation with a layout of the upcoming year's theme and an concept that would be crucial to them "being light in the dark places."

Marc: Last year, our first as Trinity Lutheran University, I stressed that love would be how we as a campus community could move past the schism and merge the diverse student bodies present here. I want to build on that by devoting this year to the concept of second chances. All of us have gotten second, third, fourth, or appreciably more chances to make good on the promise that God has invested in us. College is one of the foremost laboratories for students to find their true selves, or to reinvent themselves from who they were in high school or before. In order to tackle that concept and play our role in expressing God's grace to the mistake-prone, the shamed, and the dissatisfied around us, we must first come to terms with how we at times have not done that in our own lives. I can probably go around the room and find that each of you has someone in your past that you can't bring yourself to forgive, to give a second chance. I want us to split into three groups, where we will share with one another the grudge that we are carrying over a past wrong. Before we go to our separate corners of the room, I want to leave you with this quote: Holding a grudge is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.

Marc corralled Matt, Brad, Corey, and Alyssa for his group, with Steph, Karina, Christen, Cali, and Liz making up the second and Erin, Julie, Vanessa, Abby, and Katie the third. Each quintet spent 20 minutes explaining who or what they were unable to forgive to one another and listening to each other's suggestions for ways to let go of it. Marc called everyone back together and went on with the session.

Marc: I hope all of you were able to pinpoint someone or something that you need to forgive in order to move forward and be light on this campus for those who are blind or in the dark. Our next action will be somewhat dramatic. I have gotten clearance from the hall director to do this, in case you think I'm breaking any rules. I want each of you to write down on a small piece of paper a symbol or a name or a point of reference for who or what you are seeking to make internal peace, then fold it up and place it in the small bucket on the end table.

The students took Marc's direction and were completed with the task in around five minutes. Marc walked over to the steel bucket and shook it a bit, then took it to the front of the room and picked up an electric lighter.

Marc: You have placed your burdens into the bucket and expressed a desire to provide a second chance to that which has harmed you either physically, emotionally, or psychologically. Now, we will "light 'em up" and watch them burn down to nothing, freeing you from them.

Marc clicked on the electric lighter and touched the flame to one of the pieces of paper in the bucket, which ignited and spread onto other slips. Within two or three minutes, the bucket's contents were reduced to ashes.

Marc: With those stumbling blocks cleared, we can move forward and walk into the new year with the ability to see our fellow students, faculty, and staff as we see ourselves, beloved children of God and co-heirs in His blessings. Before we break up tonight, I want us to recite a couple of songs from the LBW that will serve as the place from which we will begin tomorrow morning's session. Gather in a circle and take hands.

Everyone stood up and made a circle, then held hands with the people next to them. Marc started the first line to "Create In Me A Clean Heart", with the others joining in after the first three words.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,  
And renew a right spirit within me.  
Create in me a clean heart, O God,  
And renew a right spirit within me.  
Cast me not away from Thy presence, O Lord;  
And take not Thy holy Spirit from me.  
Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation;  
And renew a right spirit within me. 

Marc asked Erin to start the second piece, "Brother, Let Me Be Your Servant," cuing the rest of the circle to enter after the first line.

Brother, let me be your servant,  
Let me be as Christ to you;  
Pray that I may have the grace  
To let you be my servant, too.

We are pilgrims on a journey,  
We are brothers on the road;  
We are here to help each other  
Walk the mile and bear the load.

I will hold the Christlight for you  
In the night-time of your fear;  
I will hold my hand out to you,  
Speak the peace you long to hear.

I will weep when you are weeping,  
When you laugh I'll laugh with you;  
I will share your joy and sorrow  
Till we've seen this journey through.

When we sing to God in heaven  
We shall find such harmony,  
Born of all we've known together  
Of Christ's love and agony.

Brother, let me be your servant,  
Let me be as Christ to you;  
Pray that I may have the grace  
To let you be my servant, too. 

Alyssa offered the benediction for the evening, after which Marc left for home and the non-Augsburg residents returned to their dorms.


	8. Step Lively

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."-Lao Tzu

After the Tuesday morning session of peer ministry orientation, Marc told Erin and Steph that he wanted the two of them and Dani, plus others of their choosing by way of word-of-mouth, to come over on Sunday for a cookout and some family time. The pair went to Luther's Landing for lunch with Alyssa, Abby, and Liz and discussed some of the agenda for the afternoon session, which would focus on planning the first few weeks of worship, LSM social events and activities, and dorm outreach. Marc gathered Matt, Brad, and Corey and took them off-campus for lunch at Sobleman's, wanting some dedicated bonding time with his three male peer ministers. Because of this, the start of the afternoon session was pushed back to 2:00.

**********

Following practice and lunch at Siebert, Lexi and Jordan went back to their room. Lexi flopped down on her bed and proceeded to take a nap. Jordan noticed that her roommate had been down since coming back to campus on Sunday night, with her performances in practice being less than her best. While zoned-out watching re-runs of "Cops", she pondered how she could get Lexi to open up about what's eating at her. Once the sophomore striker arose from her slumber, Jordan pressed ahead.

Jordan: You're not one to usually need naps, Lex, and I've noticed that you've been dragging a little in practice the last two days. Something wrong, bud?

Lexi: Sergio and I sort of broke up over the weekend. I don't know who actually made the final decision, but we both were done with each other after the fight we had on Saturday.

Jordan: Care to share what happened?

Lexi: Considering you're probably one of the only people who knows all the actors and what I've had to juggle in the past year, telling you might actually do me some good.

Lexi took a few seconds to gather her thoughts, then let out a deep breath and began.

Lexi: Remember when I said that I had to focus a lot more on school than I did last year and not be doing some of the things I had done that got me into trouble heading into second semester?

Jordan nodded and Lexi continued.

Lexi: When I was home, Sergio asked me about the ELCA Churchwide Assembly that was in Milwaukee the week before practice started and whether I was involved in the athletic department's major fundraising project during it. I told him no and that I wasn't planning to be that active with the ambassadors program during the season or perhaps at all, which ticked him off since, again, he's been expecting me to do the heavy lifting to pull him out of his station, be it monetarily or through my endeavors at Trinity. We argued and I laid into him for once, telling him that I wasn't going to be supporting this plan of his to use me to elevate himself. He got into my face and reminded me of what I had done last year and what others might do to me if word got around about it. After I walked away from him, he came after me and grabbed my arm to turn me around. When I requested he let me go, he cocked his arm as if he was going to hit me. I jerked away, then ran about 50 yards before turning back and saying that I was done. He shouted something about me being the worst kind of slut imaginable, one that could cough up the goods to horny sugar daddies for money, but never shared that level of passion with their men. Again, did I break up with him, or did he break up with me, or was it just a mutual split?

Jordan: However you break it down, you did the right thing in not sticking around for his eventual groveling and attempt to keep you tied to your old life.

Lexi: I only dated him to get under my parents' skin, and I was only doing the night work up here as an act of rebellion against the goody-two-shoes image they wanted me and my sisters to present. Without those two things spurring me on, I'm sort of at a loss for how to move forward and change the perception people here have of me.

Jordan: Your best place to do that is with the soccer team. If they see you being a good teammate and working your rump off, their opinion of you will shift.

Lexi: What about the people on our floor that sort of knew what I was doing, especially those who were directly or indirectly affected by it?

Jordan: Actions speak louder than words, dear. You have to show them you've changed and that what they saw last year is NOT who you really are or want to be.

Lexi: Now I know why I wanted to room with you, Hubby. You always give good advice and don't hold my mistakes against me.

Lexi got up and joined Jordan on her bed, then wrapped her arms around her and curled up into her embrace. "Want to go shopping over the weekend to find outfits for the Mixer next Wednesday?"

Jordan: You're actually going to go to it?!

Lexi: If I am going to change others' perceptions of me, I need to be where they are. Besides, I have no idea what's out there on the dating front within the athletic department because I was so busy with the team and the job to look around much.

Jordan: Count me in. Dinner?

Lexi: I feel like something fattening and off-diet. Culver's?

Jordan: Sounds good to me.

**********

Alyssa took Steph, Katelyn, and Alanna down to Jose's Blue Sombrero with her for Tuesday Tacos and GK Union talk (both Katelyn and Alanna played keeper for their high school soccer teams prior to attending Trinity).

Katelyn: Thanks for inviting Alanna and I, Alyssa. Based on our backgrounds, I think we all have a fair bit in common. Religiously committed, taller-than-average, not exactly the prettiest things on campus. Steph, how did you adjust to others' opinions of you when you arrived at Trinity?

Steph: Well, the first few days of dealing with the "you must be a goalie, because you are built like a brick you-know-what" line got to be annoying, but meeting Erin on my first day in the dorms and us attending worship together that afternoon started something that made the cracks roll off my back a lot easier.

Alyssa: As you'll come to realize, I am the quiet one of whatever group I'm in. I prefer to watch and listen than to speak. As for the cracks on my form, I learned to tune them out because the idiots that would pop them off weren't worth wasting the mental energy dwelling on them. As for my twin, I stand up for and defend her if she's getting bugged about her squishiness. Is that even a word?

Katelyn: I think so, because that is how I'd describe myself. A little more in the stomach area than others, but the extra height helps to make it not so pronounced.

Alanna: I was 5'6" by the time I was 13, which made for some interesting comments when I attended our school's eighth-grade dance. In high school, my growth slowed down and I think I've topped out at somewhere between 5'10" and 5'11".

Alyssa: I'm still trying to become comfortable in the body I have, but having others around me from whom I can get support or fashion advice has been a great help, not only in how I view myself but also in how I'm able to share myself with my girlfriend, who's my height but more modelesque.

Steph: Something I'm trying to decide is how much additional height I want to add when I dress up. I'm already 5'10", but Erin's 5'7" and tends to go with low heels or flats for special occasions, so I don't really want to add too much to the height difference.

Alanna: The gap between me and my girlfriend is worse. Kayla's 5'5", so I don't even THINK of wearing anything other than flats or slight wedges when we go out together.

Alyssa: My outsize parts make it hard for me to find or wear dress shoes that don't make me look frumpy or create a potential tripping hazard.

Katelyn: See, I don't have a problem with that. As for the partner comparison, I'm not in that boat right now. Never have been, really. I'm comfortable wearing heels, but not as high as some of the taller women I've seen.

Steph (to Katelyn and Alanna): The two of you met Deuce, one of the soccer coaches, yesterday at lunch. She's 5'8" and sort of "big", but thinks nothing of wearing 3, 3 1/2, 4" heels and heeled boots with her outfits, because she can pull it off and because it makes her feel good.

Alyssa whispered an aside to Steph. "Not to mention, boss loves how she looks in them." Steph responded, "Ain't that the truth!"

Katelyn: What's with the whispering?

Alyssa: I'll let you know when we get back to Augsburg, since what we said to each other really isn't public knowledge.

Alanna: I'm guessing we're all free on Friday afternoon. Maybe we should take Coach Dillon up on her offer and get together.

Steph: I'll drop her a note when I get back to our room and see if that's doable.

Katelyn: I'll be stuck in Freshmen Orientation all day on Friday.

Steph: We'll work something out for you, K. Maybe borrow some of her outfits temporarily and bring them to campus so you can look at them and try them on.

Alyssa paid the bill and the student-athletes returned to Trinity after a quick grocery stop at Sendik's.

**********

Erin and Cali spent the evening in their room sharing stories of their pasts and trading secrets about their partners. They then turned to Marc's call to arms from last night.

Cali: Last night's session was tough. I understand what Marc wanted us to do, but deep down I felt like I couldn't let the person I knew I needed to stop hating off the hook like that. What about you?

Erin: I was stuck between two people, as one affected my self-esteem and view of myself so harshly and the other nearly caused someone very close to me to cash in his chips. In the end, I really need to get over what both of them did, but it's not easy.

Cali: Let me guess. The two you struggle with are Shelley and Lexi.

Erin: Dang right! Is the target of your hate Lexi as well?

Cali: Yes. What she did to Dani was SO cold and ruthless that I don't know if I can ever truly forgive her for it, but I have noticed in training so far that she is trying to be a better person. The presence of her high school teammate and close friend as her roommate seems to be helping. I still don't know if she deserves that second chance Marc mentioned, but I also think she has the potential to change from the Carli clone of last year into someone who's more likable.

Erin: Shelley has me still twisted in knots, even though she has been taken to task by a good chunk of our team and Mad Dog Marc. I know that for the good of the lacrosse program, I need to find a way to co-exist with her and not let her infatuation with Steph get to me. Any suggestions on how to live out what the fine chaplain wants from us?

Cali: I really don't have any, because I'm just as stumped on how to do it related to my teammate and strike partner. You think he is going to touch on it in the opening homily?

Erin: You better believe it! The call to love one another came out fierce on Day One last year, and I'm sure he's planning to hit the ground running with this "redemption" theme on Thursday. Matt might be your best bet to finding out, since he was part of the group working this afternoon with Marc on worship.

Cali: Right. You ready to turn in?

Erin: Almost. I haven't had much recovery time since coming to Milwaukee on Friday, and I'm sure tomorrow will be another long day as it's the last chance to get Thursday's logistics figured out and a plan put together for the Activities Fair on Monday.

Cali: Thankfully, I'll have Friday off after practice since I'm not on the list to help with Marc's orientation sessions at Bonhoeffer.

Erin: Lucky you! I'm doing the afternoon sessions with Karina, with Steph and Alyssa in the morning. Sure hope Rico Suave goes early.

Cali: Rico Suave?

Erin: Marc's nephew, Matt. Not sure if you met him at Danielle's funeral, but he's a younger, more extroverted version of Marc and with fewer reservations about macking on those around him. You've been warned, and you might want to warn your Matt as well since I can see the man-child not respecting relationship boundaries if he sees someone he wants.

Erin went to the bathroom to take out her contacts and do her other nighttime tasks. After finishing, she read for a little bit while Cali got ready for bed. Once she was done and in bed, Erin closed her book and turned out the light.


	9. Storm The Castles!

Erin and Steph Lafleur were directing incoming traffic near Augsburg Hall as the Class of 2023 and Winter/Spring athletes made their way onto the Trinity Lutheran University campus for Orientation Week and to move in their belongings. The pair were wearing their TLU Women's Lacrosse t-shirts, so as to attract the attention of any teammates of theirs coming in.

Erin (to a driver): Follow the road to your right and you should be able to park in the lot at your first right turn.

Driver: Thank you, miss.

Erin (to Steph): Have you seen any of our new teammates?

Steph: Not yet. From what I know, only two of them are from out-of-state, that being Julie Koerner from St. Louis and Danny Coleman from Chicago. I'm guessing Danny will travel up with Kristie, Sam, and Steph. Emma probably will come in sometime this morning and use Savannah being at practice to square away anything she wants to do in their room. Sam and Hayley will come together, I'm thinking. As for the other four, it's wait-and-see.

Marc walked over to the couple and surprised them a little. "That goofy nephew of mine show up yet?"

Erin: No such luck, pops.

Marc: I'd like to get him moved in so I can go back to worrying about opening service and not about his first impression on Hope and the others.

Steph: Relax. He'll have Erin and I shadowing him, and Cali has been warned about him as well. Anyways, you might want to get out of the road if you don't want to get hit.

Marc moved up onto the sidewalk and stood next to Christen. "Ready for today?"

Christen: I'd be lying if I said I wasn't just a little nervous. Wish I had Julie here with me, but putting her with Abby at Katharine was a good move.

Marc: When Karina joins us, I'm going to move you over to Regents with her. I'm thinking that as more of your teammates arrive and practices end around noon, it will become overcrowded here.

Christen: Thanks, Marc.

The line of cars coming down Thunder Road made for a slow process of getting the new arrivals unloaded and into their dorms. Marc noticed Laurie's Dodge Durango off in the distance and summoned Steph to grab one of wooden carts from inside the hall and meet him at the parking lot next to Luther Hall. Marc walked up and told Laurie to pull out of line and follow the signs leading to Luther and Bonhoeffer, then find a parking space in one of the nearby lots. She did as directed and was met by Steph after she parked. The two women and Matt unloaded Laurie's SUV into the cart and then pushed it along the sidewalk toward Bonhoeffer, then past Katharine and Coburg Halls before entering Augsburg on the side of the building. Marc went inside to help the three of them unload the cart at Matt's room on the second floor.

Back on Thunder Road, Lindsay Archibald and her dad, Gary, walked up to Erin.

Lindsay: I remember you from the Pride Day clinic. Erin, is it?

Erin: Right. You're the lacrosse player who is going to be on the hockey team here, if I'm not mistaken. Sorry I can't remember your name right away.

Lindsay: Lindsay Archibald, and this is my dad, Gary.

Erin extended her hand to both Lindsay and Gary, giving them firm shakes.

Erin: Welcome to Trinity Lutheran! You're the first of the hockey players I've seen so far other than the starting goalkeeper, who is on the other side of campus helping move in students at Tietjen Hall. Check in with the front desk while I grab a cart for you to use in unloading your vehicle.

Lindsay and Gary went into Augsburg and made their arrival known to the front desk, then met Erin back outside and the three of them went to the pair's vehicles.

Erin: Do you know who you're rooming with?

Lindsay: Julie Koerner. She's a lacrosse player.

Erin: Ahhhh. Us returning players were wondering about her, being that she's from St. Louis and hadn't been able to visit campus during the season.

Lindsay: When the two of us talked last week, she said they were planning to travel to the outskirts of Chicago yesterday and then finish the trip up late this morning.

The three of them started unloading the cars' contents into the cart, after which Lindsay pushed it back toward Augsburg and into the hall. Erin pushed the elevator button for up and, once the doors opened, the cart was pushed inside. Erin and Gary walked up the stairs to the third floor while Lindsay rode up with her belongings. Once on the floor, she turned to her left and went a few doors down the hall before stopping.

Lindsay: Here we are, 326.

Erin: My roommate Cali and I live in 334 and my girlfriend Steph and her roommate Alyssa are in 332. They try to mix the athletes in with the regular students, for the most part, but they also like grouping athletes in the same dorm.

Lindsay opened the door and saw the bare canvas of her first college dorm room. She and Gary unloaded luggage and boxes from the cart, with Erin going back downstairs to continue with traffic control. Once everything was in the room, Lindsay and Gary went back down to the first floor and dropped off the cart in the lobby before going outside to say their goodbyes to one another.

**********

Tori Abrams was decorating her side of the room when Katelyn returned from volleyball practice.

Katelyn: Hi!

Tori: Hi yourself. Tori Abrams.

Katelyn: Katelyn Rollins.

Tori's father, Larry, came into the room carting some of her video equipment.

Tori: This is my dad, Larry. Dad, my roommate, Katelyn.

Katelyn extended her hand. "Pleased to meet you. Excuse my appearance, but I just returned from volleyball practice. Tori, I take it what he's carrying is part of your YouTube set-up."

Tori: Yeah. How do you know about that?

Katelyn: One of the women's soccer players looked you up and found your channel since I told her I knew literally nothing about you other than you're a triplet. Did the boys get moved in?

Larry: My wife, Jackie, is dealing with getting Billy and Cameron situated. Where are you from, Katelyn?

Katelyn: Waterford, about 30 miles southwest of Milwaukee.

Tori: We're from Pulaski, up near Green Bay.

Katelyn: That would explain why there are so many interviews with Packers.

Tori: I nearly got one with you last November at the state volleyball tournament, but the other Division I semifinal went into a fifth set and I had to stay focused on that match.

Katelyn: So you knew of me, sort of?

Tori: Sort of. Didn't know we'd both be coming to Trinity or that we'd be rooming together. Major?

Katelyn: Social Work. And I'm guessing yours is Mass Communication with the experience you already have.

Tori: Bingo, with a Sports Media minor. Can I get some practice with you while we get to know each other? I promise I won't post it if you'd rather I not, but I'm hoping to get access to Wednesday's event at Buuck to chronicle it for the channel.

Katelyn: Lunch first, then we'll come back here and you can "interview" me.

Larry hugged his daughter goodbye and went to Chemnitz to check on his twin sons. Tori and Katelyn then walked over to Luther's Landing, with the latter pointing out to her roommate where the athletic center was located and teasing her about it probably becoming her second home following Augsburg.

**********

Two of the new Thunder lacrosse players strolled up to Erin and Steph.

Sam Keller: What uuuuuup!

Erin: Sam! Hayley! You're finally here.

The two sophomores gave the new arrivals hugs and asked them about the moving-in process.

Sam: Pretty easy since we had all summer to work out what each of us would bring for the room.

Hayley: We're in 328. Which room's yours?

Steph: I'm in 332 and Erin is in 334.

Sam: Not rooming together?

Erin: We discussed it and decided we had two more years to do that, so why rush it. It also allowed Kristie and Sam to live together and for Kristie's girlfriend Alyssa to room with Steph.

Erin and Sam continued to talk while Steph pulled Hayley away briefly.

Steph: Anything change since the last time we talked?

Hayley: A little. We spent a good amount of time together over the summer and the two of us grew closer, but nothing yet on taking our friendship further.

Steph: Take my advice. Try to wow her with what you wear to the All-Sports Mixer on Wednesday and see how she reacts. I also think we can find a way to pull out her feelings about you and her during bonding time tonight. Coach, Sam Mueller, Lauren, Kristie, and Morgan are meeting in a bit to plan out the groups and I am hoping to have her in mine.

Hayley: Both of those sound like good ideas.

Hayley and Steph walked back over to Sam and Erin, being coy about what they had discussed. Emma and Savannah came up to the four of them and asked about plans for the rest of the day. Steph told them that she would be leaving shortly to prepare for Opening Service in Bonhoeffer, which would be at 4pm. Hayley and Sam followed their new teammate and her girlfriend into Augsburg and up to their room, where the four hung out for a while.

**********

In one of the study rooms in Rincker Library, Coach Hawthorne was meeting with her team captains, Sam Mueller and Lauren Chandler, along with Morgan Andringa (in place of Erin) and Kristie Mueller (in place of Steph Lafleur) to talk about tonight's team meeting and bonding time.

Sarah: Ladies, tonight is my first "first day of school" meeting and I'm a little bit unsure what I want to cover, since our paths might not cross again on campus until January even though I'll be around and accessible.

Sam: I'd go with the big rules that you want us to follow out-of-season with Lauren and I being the benevolent leaders nudging everyone in the right direction. I'm sure we'll get help from some of the others, such as the other two here and Erin and Steph as they're capable, but stress individual responsibility above all.

Lauren: Lay out the season's schedule also if you have any parts of it completed.

Sarah: The conference portion was finalized at the AD's meeting last month, so I know when we're playing the NACC teams. I also decided where the team is going for Spring Break. I'll fill everyone in on those parts tonight, but one thing I can say is that the trip won't be nearly as far away as the one Lauren booked last year and because of that, more of our players' families will be able to see the two games in person if they so choose.

Morgan: Any big name non-conference opponents on the schedule?

Sarah: The two teams on our Spring Break trip both qualified for the NCAA tournament this past season, and our weekend trip at the end of March will have us playing two of the top teams from the former Midwest Women's Lacrosse Conference. Again, I'll get into some of the specifics when we meet tonight. Now, let's get the team bonding groups decided. Each of you will be leading or co-leading one of them. Morgan, Erin will be with you and Steph Lafleur will be Kristie. Each group gets two of the eight freshmen and I'd like to have them span the personality spectrum so the quiet/reserved types are together, the wild children are together, etc. I also want the roommates/girlfriends separated for this activity. With that, Sam, you get to draft your first three first.

Sam looked over the roster and, knowing her demeanor, took Savannah, Kelley, and Jane. Up next, Lauren went for Christen, Lindsey, and Steph McNamara. Kristie picked, based on her knowledge of Steph Lafleur, Sam Keller and Sofia. Going last, Morgan selected Danny and Emily.

Sarah: So far, so good. For the remaining selections, each of you will send one player to each of the other groups based on who already is in them. Lauren, you're up.

Lauren sent Julie Koerner to Sam's group, Maggie to Steph's group, and Katie to Erin's group. Morgan put Hayley with Sam Mueller, Emma with Lauren, and Julie Jacobsen with Steph Lafleur. Kristie's choices were Ali for Sam, Becca for Lauren, and Andi for Erin.

Sam: So I'm left with Shelley, Brooke, and Sarah Kilgore.

Kristie: One of us should have taken Shelley in the first three, because now it's like a no-win wherever you place her, sis.

Sam: I know. She and Lauren came to blows on the Spring Break trip, she has a heart-on still for Steph, and she hates Erin something fierce.

Sarah: Placing her in Erin's group is the least-dangerous of the three options, but I'd want her to approve it before lumping the malcontent on her.

Sam: Since neither Sarah nor Brooke can go into Erin's group because their roommates are in it, Shelley has to go there unless I take her and swap out one of mine, but she's too uncontrollable for the rest of my group to handle.

Lauren: I want no piece of her.

Sam: I'll put her with Erin for now, then we can change it before the meeting if she's not game for dealing with her. As for the other two, Brooke with Lauren and Sarah with Steph.

Sarah had the four leaders pass their lists to her to look over.

Yellow: Sam M., Savannah, Kelley, Ali, Hayley, Julie K., Jane

Red: Lauren, Christen, Lindsey, Steph M., Emma, Becca, Brooke

Green: Steph L., Kristie, Sam K., Sophia, Julie J., Maggie, Sarah K.

Blue: Erin, Morgan, Danny, Andi, Katie, Emily, Shelley

Sarah: This looks pretty good. We've got maybe 10 minutes before I need to meet up with Coaches Krueger and Dillon to attend the Opening Service. Anything else we need to do before we meet later?

Hearing nothing, she dismissed the players and walked over to Bonhoeffer Chapel to wait for the other two coaches. While outside, she talked with Julie and Christen. Katelyn came walking up the path with Tori and her brother Cameron and introduced herself and the other two to the two peer ministers and their lacrosse coach. Erin and Cali came out of the chapel and told Julie that Marc wanted her and the other returning peers to gather for a couple of minutes with him before service. Julie and Erin went back inside and Cali took the former's place with Christen.


	10. A Thunderous Welcome

Bonhoeffer Chapel was filling up ahead of the Opening Service of the 2019/2020 school year. In the sacristy, Marc was giving his Fab Five (Alyssa, Erin, Steph, Julie, and Corey) plus Matt a bit of a pep talk.

Marc: All of you aside from Matt stood in the sacred space and addressed the congregation at least once last semester. Most of this crowd will not know how experienced or inexperienced you are, so calm your nerves as best you can and deliver your remarks with strength. Julie, you will introduce the dorm ministry aspect of our office. Corey, you will speak on Lunch Bunch and other ministries on-campus. Erin, lay out what you and Cali are looking to do with LSM and preface if you wish the possibility of next winter's National Gathering coming to Milwaukee. Alyssa and Steph, you do you and keep me from fainting. Remember a couple of things while you're in front. One, this is supposed to be enjoyable, so enjoy it. Second, what you say might just inspire someone in the pews to get involved. Ready, team?

Alyssa: Ready, boss!

Marc: Let's do this.

Matt led the group out of the sacristy and walked to the piano while Erin, Steph, Corey, and Julie took their seats with Alyssa and Marc heading behind the two lecterns. Once the congregation was settled, Marc began the service.

Marc: All rise!

The parishioners rose to their feet for the Order of Confession and Forgiveness. After Marc declared absolution of the congregation's corporate sin, Matt started the opening hymn, "Gather Us In." Upon its completion, the chaplain welcomed those in attendance.

Marc: Welcome to Bonhoeffer Chapel and the first worship service of Trinity Lutheran University's second year in existence. I am Deacon Marc Schmidt, the chaplain of TLU. Over the next four years, we may see a lot of each other, or very little, but know that my door is always open, even if my wallet isn't.

A fair amount of students laughed at his one-liner.

Marc: I believe in student empowerment and learning-by-doing, which is why you see several students up here at the altar with me. They are last year's inaugural class of peer ministers and they will be addressing you now with what Campus Ministry at Trinity entails. First up is Erin Matheson.

Erin walked to the lectern and told those in the pews about Lutheran Student Movement and its role in engaging and equipping students on college campuses, both secular and religiously-affiliated. Following her was Julie's introduction of dorm-based peer ministry and Corey's mention of the weekly post-worship gathering in Siebert Dining Hall. Steph then walked up and gave a rundown of roles students can play and services offered through the chaplain's office.

Steph: As you see, both Alyssa and I are in vestments along with Deacon Schmidt. One of the opportunities available to you in campus ministry at Trinity is assisting with and leading weekly worship. Because of the chaplain's vast array of connections and experience spanning multiple disciplines, students who serve within his office are invited to accompany him to conferences and to assist him in his role as a wedding officiant. I along with Erin and Alyssa were able to serve the church in Raleigh, Chicago, and Philadelphia this past school year with the chaplain and Erin and I will be going with him to Vancouver at the end of December for a special New Year's Eve wedding involving two members of the NWSL's Philadelphia Hearts. Freshmen will visit the chapel throughout the day tomorrow for a short orientation session where Deacon Schmidt along with two peer ministers will expand on what we spoke about just now.

Marc returned to the lectern and Alyssa continued the service with the Kyrie/Hymn of Praise. She then offered the Prayer of the Day and did the First Reading and Psalm before Marc read the day's Gospel passage, Matthew 18:21-35 (The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant).

Marc: Year One at Trinity was focused on loving one's neighbor as the natural outflow of God's love for us. Year Two will focus on another character trait we are commanded to exercise, that being forgiveness. In life, bleep happens. People hurt you, disappoint you, let you down, even violate you in some cases. When that occurs, the easiest thing to do is to shut that person off from your world if you are able. Additionally, holding a grudge over the harm done to you pacifies the feeling of degradation to give you a way to achieve "normal", but it's not really normal. Rather, it is a shot of poison that one hopes will eat away at the wounds left by said harm. When my student leadership and I met on Monday night for the start of Peer Ministry Orientation, I told them that college is one of the foremost laboratories for people to find their true selves or to reinvent themselves, to get a second or third or in some cases 17th chance to find value, peace, love, and fulfillment in this thing called life. I also told them that in order to offer that message to others, they needed to be able to find peace within themselves through the act of forgiveness.

The chaplain paused for a few seconds to allow his last couple of sentences to register with the congregation before continuing.

Marc: I'm going to start my comments on forgiveness by quoting the 21st century philosopher Hannah Montana. Nobody's perfect. We all screw up now and again, be it accidentally or with full knowledge of what we're doing. Last year on this campus, there were several incidents where one member of the student body harmed another, either physically, emotionally, or psychologically. Some were minor, while others were very serious offenses. I got an opportunity to see the parable in today's Gospel play itself out here at Trinity last semester. During fall semester, two students went to an event off-campus and one of them was sexually assaulted. When she returned to campus, a rape kit was done and DNA pointed at who the assailant was. The victim didn't choose to press charges or file a complaint at the time. When her significant other and the assailant got into a skirmish later in the year, the victim was made aware of who had assaulted her, but again chose not to seek retribution on her attacker, wishing to not bring more trouble to the person's life than she already had. In my opinion, that was a real-world example of the king in the parable forgiving his servant's large debt. By not keeping the person tied to the incident, she allowed her a second chance at success at Trinity. Who you were in the past is not who you have to be today, and who you can become is not determined by who you once were. Give those in your midst the benefit of the doubt when they claim to have "turned over a new leaf", because everyone deserve a chance at redemption. Amen.

The remainder of the service went by quickly. Marc and the peers made a concerted effort to move about the chapel during the Passing of the Peace, engaging as many attendees as possible. Alyssa and Steph assisted Marc in the dispensation of Communion, which was followed by the Benediction and the Sending.

**********

Back in the sacristy, Marc and the on-stage peers finished off the bread and wine. Once the area was cleaned up and he, Alyssa, and Steph had disrobed, Marc exited and met up with Dani, Sarah, and Jamie, asking them to join him for dinner at Crave before they had to be back on-campus for their team meetings. Before splitting up, Steph and Alyssa checked with Dani about coming down to her place tomorrow afternoon for a game of "Raid My Closet". She was all too happy to have the two goalkeepers visit and told them so. They also talked briefly about Sunday's cookout at Marc's and decided to invite a few of their new floor mates to join them, Cali, and Erin. Marc went to his car while the three coaches packed into Jamie's for the short trip south for dinner.


	11. The Promise Of A New Day

The women's lacrosse team entered Stuenkel 114 for their first gathering of the year with new head coach Sarah Hawthorne. Some of the freshmen didn't know what to expect, while a vast majority of the returning players were excited to see what Sarah had in store for the 2020 season and to be together again for the first time in almost four months. Sarah entered the room and went to the front, then began the meeting.

Sarah H.: Evening, ladies! I'm glad to see that everyone is here and seems eager to get on with the new year. Over the last four months, I have spent time working on the next phase in my transition of the program from what Coach Heberlein had been doing to what I want to do. I spent time working with Casey Schultz in Academic Advising to make sure that there would be no pressure placed on any of you to sit out a season for academic reasons if you didn't wish. The freshmen will meet with her after Labor Day weekend to coordinate the first-semester schedules devised during Pre-Orientation with the rest of their academic plans, including blackout periods due to practice in Spring semester. I have a few things to go over before I release you to your team bonding activities. First, I'd like to let Sam Mueller and Lauren Chandler take a couple of minutes to set their tone with you for how Fall semester might play out since my contact with the team will not be as frequent as it is in the spring.

Sam M.: Thank you, coach. Lauren and I are honored to be the captains for the lacrosse team's 2020 season and hope that our leadership in the off-season will help to build chemistry between the freshmen and the returning players along with better camaraderie amongst all the team. It's likely that you'll see us as Good Cop/Bad Cop because of our personalities, but that isn't necessarily true. Lauren can be just as much of a drill sergeant as myself and I can be as kind and sympathetic as she is. We're at your disposal for whatever you might need and look forward to getting to know everyone better both tonight and over the course of the next few months.

Lauren: Let me tell you, that speech from Sam would not have been possible one year ago. She was almost as shy and bookish as a couple of you are coming in, but through experience and some great mentoring from last year's captains and our on-campus leadership gurus came to embrace the ability to lead by action in addition to leading by example. Those of us here last year experienced a horrific start to the season and the near-collapse of the team due to Coach Heberlein, but also were part of the process that led to a winning conference record, including three straight victories to close out the campaign. We have the ability to do even better this year, and I for one believe we can contend for the conference title and NCAA berth if we play over the 16 games this spring the way we did the last three of the past season. I guess that's all I have to say. Back to you, coach.

Sarah H.: Thanks, Lauren. I told the two of them and the others I met with this afternoon that I would share with you some highlights of the upcoming season. First, our new assistant coach will be arriving after the Labor Day weekend and I am hoping that her contract will be approved at the Board of Trustees meeting on September 13th. Now, onto the game schedule. We will open the regular season on March 4th here against St. Norbert, followed by our Spring break trip, which this year will be centered around Cincinnati. We'll be playing Thomas More College on the 7th and Mount St. Joseph on the 10th. The next two games are at home against St. Scholastica and Lake Forest before going up to Hancock, MI to face our fellow ELCA institution, Finlandia University. The conference opener is here against Aurora on March 25th with a weekend doubleheader in the Twin Cities the 28th and 29th against my alma mater, Hamline, and Augsburg. The Promise Cup match against Concordia-Ann Arbor is April 4th and once again there will be a banquet for the two teams the night before it. We close the season at home again, playing MSOE on April 25th. A lot of the good things that we put in place the second half of last year will continue, such as the full roster playing rule and the 4-2-3-2 formation. I haven't talked to Jamie yet about post-game happenings on some of the road trips, but I am guessing we'll be able to do ones for at least a couple of them. Before I split you up to your four groups for the evening's icebreakers, I want to go around the room and have each of you give your name, position, and hometown.

Emma Preston, goalkeeper, Brown Deer, WI   
Julie Koerner, defender, St. Louis, MO  
Kristie Mueller, midfield, Evanston, IL  
Steph McNamara, attacker, Winnetka, IL  
Sam Mueller, midfield, Evanston, IL  
Shelley Zembruski, defender, Whitefish Bay, WI  
Ali Kramer, defender, De Pere, WI  
Erin Matheson, defender, Rockford, MI  
Steph Lafleur, goalkeeper, Kitchener, ON  
Morgan Andringa, midfield, Madison, WI  
Savannah Johnson, attacker, Fredonia, WI  
Hayley Ramsey, attacker, Elm Grove, WI  
Lindsey Hoffman, attacker, Lakeville, MN  
Emily Sommer, defender, Minnetonka, MN  
Lauren Chandler, midfield, Indianapolis, IN  
Becca Curtin, defender, Ottawa, IL  
Christen Prince, attacker, Wauwatosa, WI  
Julie Jacobsen, defender, Phoenix, AZ   
Danny Coleman, midfield, Palatine, IL   
Sofia Hernandez, attacker, Milwaukee, WI  
Jane Carrington, goalkeeper, Kenosha, WI  
Andi Susskind, defender, Middleton, WI  
Maggie Dowling, midfield, Largo, FL   
Kelley Ochowicz, attacker, Fox Point, WI   
Sarah Kilgore, midfield, Waunakee, WI   
Sam Keller, attacker, Brookfield, WI  
Katie Nelson, defender, Cedarburg, WI  
Brooke Elias, defender, Butler, WI

Sarah H.: I hope all of you will remember what you just learned about your teammates. 11 of the 28 players come from the seven-county Greater Milwaukee area, four are from Chicago, three are from Madison, plus players from Arizona, Florida, and even Canada. On the board is the list of the groups. Find your leader and head off to HAVE SOME FUN!

Yellow: Sam M., Savannah, Kelley, Ali, Hayley, Julie K., Jane  
Red: Lauren, Christen, Lindsey, Steph M., Emma, Becca, Brooke  
Green: Steph L., Kristie, Sam K., Sophia, Julie J., Maggie, Sarah K.  
Blue: Erin, Morgan, Danny, Andi, Katie, Emily, Shelley


	12. Fun And Games

Sam Mueller gathered her group and went out with them to the Chapel Courtyard east of Stuenkel Hall. Once everyone had a seat, she introduced her activity of choice.

Sam: When we put together the four groups for tonight, I was given the players who were most like myself, quiet, reserved, less-talkative, nervous, etc. Because of that, we're going to do an icebreaker that is a lot less invasive than what Lauren or Erin's group might be doing. It is called "I Question That". Each of us in turn will make a statement, the more outrageous the better. The rest of us have to determine whether it is true or not. If you think the person is lying, you can say "I Question That". If she is, she takes a shot of apple cider vinegar. If she's telling the truth, YOU take the shot. If no one questions her, the person gets to make another statement, and so on until she IS questioned about one. I'll give you an example. I attended Alex Morgan's wedding reception.

Most of the returning players were mentally able to draw the line from Sam to her sister, Kristie, to Kristie's girlfriend, Alyssa, who was part of the chaplain's office. Hence, it stood to reason that it COULD be true. Hayley, however, doubted it and said, "I Question That!"

Sam: It's actually true. Kristie's girlfriend assisted Deacon Schmidt in performing the ceremony at the United Soccer Coaches convention in Chicago and she and Ashlyn held a desserts-and-drinks reception later that evening. Hayley, you don't have to take the drink, that was just a practice one. Who wants to go first?

*Jane: I'll go. Both of my parents are graduates of the Air Force Academy.

Savannah remembered from last year's opening icebreaker that this was false, but felt it unfair to use that knowledge. No one chose to question Jane, so she made another statement. "My full given name is Jane Chrystal Carrington."

Savannah: I question that, since I am pretty sure I remember you introducing yourself on our first day last year as C.J.

Jane: You're right. My given first name is actually Carolyn.

Jane picked up the cup of vinegar and took a small swig, wincing as it went down her throat.

Sam: Savannah, you're next, then.

*Savannah: I have a black belt in Tae Kwon Do.

Kelley: Bull! As timid as I've seen you be, there's no way you could be into fighting.

Savannah: You lose, KO! I got it when I was 11. My parents thought putting me into something like that would stop me from being a bully around school. I'm afraid of people, for the most part, but TKD helped me hide that fear behind the persona of a fighter.

Kelley took the cup and gulped down a moderate sip, coughing after it was swallowed. Once she had a chance to recover, she gave her statement.

*Kelley: My parents never had to pay for my medical care growing up.

No one questioned her on that since it seemed plausible given that her mom was a dentist, so she went again. "My girlfriend had dinner with Tom Brady at the Super Bowl one year."

Sam: That is complete hogwash!

Kelley: Not exactly. He and Lauren, along with her dad, ran into one another at Steak N Shake near the stadium in Indianapolis that hosted Super Bowl XLVI.

Sam: If I can claim my brush with fame is true, then I suppose yours is as well.

Sam proceeded to take a drink, then continued. "My sister and I are dating twins."

The returning players knew that was true and the two freshmen didn't dare speak up and risk being wrong. Sam went again. "I am the tallest player on the lacrosse team."

Julie: I question that. Steph Lafleur is taller than you, I think. Maybe Katie is as well.

Sam: It's true. I'm 5'11", Steph's 5'10", and I believe Katie is somewhere between us.

Julie tried to debate with Sam, but as final arbiter the captain made the newcomer down a shot.

*Julie: My sister is married to a former Cy Young Award winner.

Hayley: No way that's true.

Julie: Believe it or not, it's true. Caitlin and Max Scherzer met while he was back in St. Louis one off-season. They struck up a romance over that fall and winter, then did the long-distance relationship thing for a couple of years before she moved to DC.

Hayley shook her head and downed her punishment.

*Hayley: My roommate and I live across the street from each other, but in separate counties.

Kelley: Uh-huh! I heard you say you were from Elm Grove and Sam say she was from Brookfield, which are both in Waukesha County.

Hayley: Nertz! Thought I'd get that one to fly.

Unhappily, the freshman attacker drank another shot of vinegar.

*Ali: I'm last then. My boyfriend is planning to be a male nurse.

Sam covered her mouth, not because she was trying to contain a laugh but because she knew Ali was telling the truth and didn't want to tip off the others to that effect. Hayley, Julie, and Jane all looked at each other wondering who would be bold enough to call her out on it.

Jane: I question that.

Ali: Drink up, then!

Jane, not happy with the disposition of her risk-taking, did as required and partook of the awful liquid once again. Sam then led the group in a game of Never Have I Ever before the seven of them returned to their dorms.

**********

Erin led her group over to the amphitheater overlooking Lake Michigan for their evening of getting-to-know-you activities.

Erin: I'm glad to see that we have a pretty moderate group, with people who can be both wild and composed for the most part. With that in mind, I've chosen FMK for our first icebreaker. Everyone knows the game, I'm guessing.

Hearing nothing to the contrary, Erin set a ground rule that if one didn't know how a particular individual rolled, the person needed to be offered both male and female choices. From there, she started the questioning.

*Erin: Let's put Joker Girl on the hot seat first. Hayley Raso, Danielle Colaprico, and Kelley O'Hara.

Emily: I see you've switched it from the three Kristie gave me the last time we played. Hayley goes, then I'd have to choose KO as the eventual mother of my kids and Danny as my little side thang.

Danny: Pretty good taste there.

*Emily: Thank you. Katie, let's serve up Josh Hader, Julie Johnston, and Jimmy Graham.

*Katie: Hader is just creepy with the mullet, so I'd have to whack him. As for other two, probably fool around with JJ and settle for marrying Jimmy. Morgan, your three are Tom Brady, Sidney Crosby, and Alex Morgan.

Morgan: I can't marry Alex because then my name would be Morgan Morgan. Chop her, do Sid the Kid, and take half of TB12's money after I divorce him in three or four years.

Shelley laughed at Morgan's mindset, because it was almost sinister and very similar to her mom's.

*Morgan: Shelley, since you found my explanation funny, I'll give you a trio of hotties from which to select. Ali Krieger, Elena Delle Donne, and Jessie Fleming.

Shelley: Very strange choices. Ali would be perfect wife material, Jessie a fun on-again, off-again lay, and that would leave EDD to bite the bullet.

Erin: Wouldn't have thought of you to be so logical.

*Shelley: Danny, your choices are Morgan Brian, Patrick Kane, and Anthony Rizzo.

*Danny: Kane's a waste when it comes to treating women properly, so he's gone. Rizzo to marry and Moe to lurrrrrrrrrve on. Andi, what would you do with Mal Pugh, Becky Sauerbrunn, and Christen Press?

Andi: Marry Broon, kill Press, and snog Mal Pal.

Erin: Guess it's my turn. Who do you want to give me?

*Andi: Kristie Mewis, Lindsey Horan, and Morgan Reid.

Erin: Eeeeek. This is tough since I have met all three of them. Based on my ability to tolerate them, Horan would have to be the wife, Morgan the lover, and Mewie the deceased.

Emily: How many couples do you think we'll have on the team THIS year, Erin? Last year, we had seven.

Erin: For sure, we have five going into this year. Steph and I, you and Lindsey, Christen and Julie, Lauren and Kelley, and Maggie and Savannah. Andi, you still with Jane?

Andi: It's a little complicated, but yes we're still together.

Erin: Complicated how?

Andi: She's talking about transferring if she can't get past Steph or Emma on the depth chart. If that happens, we probably won't stay together since she doesn't want to do a distance-based relationship even though we'd be less than two hours apart during the summer.

Emily: That's six for the time being. Any of the freshmen going to get together?

Danny: I have a feeling one of the roommate pairings will evolve into more. Won't be me and Hoodrat, that's for sure.

Morgan: Even though Kristie and Steph have talked about making that happen?

Danny: Not my circus, sorry.

Katie: Right now, I'm happy with riding solo. I'm an only child, so I've never really needed others to add to my contentment. The two Brookfield girls might end up being something.

Erin: I don't think you're wrong. The Mewis sisters probably drew the two of them for their groups to find out if there are feelings in that direction.

Morgan: Kevin and I didn't really go anywhere. The chemistry was OK, but I'd rather be the one pursuing than being chased and feeling like I have to go along with it. Who knows what will happen once we get to see who's new around here on Wednesday night.

Katie: Shelley, what's the story for you on the dating front?

Shelley: No luck last year. Hoping for better this year, but commuting makes that a pretty hard proposition. Not to mention my parents being split on my sexuality.

Erin: Dad's good with it and Mom isn't?

Shelley: Exactly.

Erin: Sorry to hear that.

Shelley nodded at Erin to acknowledge hearing her, but really wasn't interested in accepting her sympathy. She left the rest of the group to walk back to her car and leave campus. A few minutes later, the other six came up from the amphitheater and split off to their respective dorms.

**********

As all but one of their group lived in Augsburg, Kristie suggested they meet in her and Sam's room for team bonding. Once there, the seven of them gathered in a circle and Steph Lafleur started their activity.

Steph: A lot of us know one another pretty well, and don't know others much at all. With that in mind, and because I THINK we're all a little more extroverted than other groups, we're going to play something called "Mate or Roommate". It's also called "Friend or Lover" and "Bro or Bae". Each person will write two facts on pieces of paper, then submit them to me. I'll read them off and then have to determine if the person is referring to their roommate or their significant other. Two caveats: 1) If your roommate and your SO are the same person, which I know is the case for at least three of you, that person is classified for this as your mate. Julie and Sofia, you will swap roommates for this game, with Christen being Sofia's and Vanessa being Julie's. Maggie, you'll use your roommate from last year as yours in the game. 2) If you don't have an SO, you can use a crush or a potential one for the mate category. Any questions?

Sarah: Why is there a dish of barbecue sauce in the middle of the circle?

Steph: That is for those who get stumped by the facts given. You have to dip your finger in and lick the sauce off it. I tried to get something that was close in heat to the chili we made for January's LCM fundraiser here at Trinity. Sofia, Julie, would you take a quick taste and let me know if you consider it too hot?

Sofia and Julie tried the sauce and dubbed it tolerable, but pretty spicy. Steph passed out paper and pens for the other six and herself to write down their entries for the icebreaker. Once all of them were in and Steph had shuffled them up a bit, she read the first one.

Steph: This fact comes from Maggie. "Despite living in different states, this person and I realized we had mutual friends when we met last year at Trinity."

The returning players tried to remember what they knew about Savannah and Cami and to whom this was referring. Steph, Julie, Kristie, and Sam guessed Mate, while Sofia and Sarah took Roommate. Maggie flipped over her card which read "Mate". Steph passed the bowl to Sofia, who took a dip. She passed it on to Sarah, who also accepted her punishment for being wrong.

Sarah: You're not kidding about this being pretty hot. I can't imagine that you subjected actual humans to this.

Steph: Lindsey and Emily were our taste-testers and we wanted it to be hot enough for them to be in pain but not so bad that Sofia, her girlfriend Vanessa, and Julie couldn't tolerate it. Onto the next fact. This one is from me: "This person gets brownies for her birthday instead of cake as a tribute to the holiday it falls upon."

Kristie knew that Steph was referring to Alyssa, since her birthday was April 20th, which is National Weed Day, and that Erin's was St. Patrick's Day (March 17th). Sofia and Julie also knew that it wasn't Erin and went with it being Alyssa. Sam, Sarah, and Maggie went with Erin. Steph turned over her card to reveal "Roommate", forcing the three who were wrong to take a taste of the barbecue sauce.

Steph: Alyssa's birthday is April 20th, or 4/20, hence she gets brownies, albeit not hash brownies. Up next is Julie's first entry: "This person participated in competitive cheer in high school."

All the returning players knew that Christen wasn't a cheerleader. Sarah also guessed that it couldn't be Christen, but Sam thought it was and ended up being wrong.

Steph: This one's from Kristie. "Both of us wore Vikings jerseys at last year's Super Bowl party."

Steph remembered her and Sam breaking out the anti-Bills gear, as did Julie. The rest figured that it was the sister and not the girlfriend who Kristie dressed like, which was correct.

Steph: Sarah's entry to the proceedings. "This person's middle name is Aaron."

Steph, Kristie, and Julie all guessed roommate since they knew Morgan's middle name started with an E. Maggie looked Sarah over cautiously and figured she was straight, so it could be a male with that name. Sam ended up siding with Steph et al. and Sofia with Maggie. Sarah showed the right answer, which was "Mate", causing a few sharp responses from those who got it wrong.

Kristie: Very sneaky! Us returning players presumed it was Morgan, not thinking male.

Julie: I think having an Erin on the team and knowing that Morgan's middle name started with an E made me think that had to be it.

Once punishment was received from the bowl of pain, Steph read the next fact, this one from Sam. "She and I have never lived further than one block apart since I moved from Australia when I was 9."

Everyone guessed Sam was referring to Hayley, given that they're roommates here and went to the same high school. Steph and Kristie gambled that Sam was considering her in the mate category and not the roommate one and voted that way.

Steph: We know the person you mentioned is Hayley, but I don't think you have her in the roommate category for the purposes of this game. Mate.

Kristie: I'm with Steph.

Sofia: Roommate. I don't really see the two of them in the same light I do Christen and Julie or Erin and Steph.

Sam waited a short bit before revealing the answer: Mate.

Steph had a smug look on her face now that she knew Sam and Hayley had some kind of feelings beyond friendship for each other.

Steph: Last one for this round, from Sofia. "She was a three-sport athlete at Tosa East."

Julie was pretty sure Christen only played lacrosse in high school, unlike her who was also a soccer player. Steph thought it was possible that CP was three-sport, but figured that Vanessa had some gymnastics experience on top of competitive cheer. In the end, Steph, Julie, Sam, and Sarah were right that it was Vanessa to whom Sofia was referring.

Steph: Do we want to do a second round or move onto something else?

The general consensus from the group was to spend some time talking shop and bringing the newcomers up to speed with what to expect now that they've arrived.

Maggie: Sarah gave us a good bit of information about the season tonight. It's a bit of a bummer that our Spring Break trip isn't as far south or east as last year, when my parents were able to see the games and meet Savannah, but it's the price you pay for going to school several states away from where you live.

Steph: Not sure when my parents might get to a game next year. We don't go to Concordia-Ann Arbor and the Cincinnati-area games are the closest, but that might still be too far for them to trek.

Sam: When Coach was running off the schedule, it seemed like she figured we knew who all these teams were and where they were located. I for one was confused by it all. Can one of the older players give me a better explanation of the season?

Kristie: I'll give it a shot. Our first game is against St. Norbert, which is located near Green Bay. The two teams on Spring break are either in or close to Cincinnati. St. Scholastica, I'm not sure about. Lake Forest, Aurora, Illinois Tech, Benedictine, and Concordia-Chicago are all in the greater Chicago area. Augsburg and Hamline are in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Finlandia is in the upper peninsula of Michigan, like as far north as you can go without ending up in Canada. Concordia-Ann Arbor is, well, in Ann Arbor, MI. Wisconsin Lutheran and MSOE are local schools. Edgewood, again, I'm not really sure where they are.

Sarah: Edgewood is in Madison, where I, Morgan, and Andi are from. As for St. Scholastica, they're located in Duluth, MN.

Steph: We won't be going to all of these places, since some of those teams will be coming here. The conference schedule is built so that we play two of the Chicago schools here and the other two down there, along with playing one Milwaukee-area school at home and one "on the road".

Sarah: Coach talked about a 4-2-3-2 formation. How does that lay out and is it much different than the 4-3-4?

Julie: Before Coach instituted it for the game against Edgewood, we had played 4-3-4 the first three games under her. In reality, the 4-2-3-2 isn't really any different, you just play the outside attackers a bit back from the central ones and invert the midfield triangle you'd normally play behind the front four so that you have two back and one up in line with the outside attackers.

Sarah: My experience is more as a two-way midfield player, which in this system would seem to be the two in front of the back four rather than the one pushed up.

Kristie: Right. The pushed-up player is really a hybrid attacker/midfielder, which is why Lauren and Lindsey are our top two players in that position.

Maggie: I'm pegged there in the depth chart, but can play any of the three central midfield spots.

Sarah: What's the depth in the back end of the triangle?

Steph: As of now, it would be Sam and Morgan probably starting, then you and Danny along with Maggie as other options. Becca can also play there.

Sam: I've always played central attack, with Hayley as one of my wings. With them pushed back, how do they progress into the attacking zone?

Kristie: Not really any different than if they were even with the two central attackers. I'm wide on the left side as we fan out, with Kelley or Sofia wide on the right. Steph and Christen would do the cutting in and out of the 8-meter with Lauren at the point and the two other midfield players either side of her.

Sam Mueller came into the room, with Kelley and Hayley behind her. They sat down with the others and entered the conversation. At 9:30, Kristie and Sam kicked everyone out and began to prepare for bed.

**********

Lauren and the rest of her group went over to Tietjen Hall and met in Steph McNamara and Danny's room.

Lauren: When I drafted the first three members of this group, it was with the knowledge that they were the "wildest" players on our team. The other three were given to me by the other group leaders based on that criteria. So, who wants to guess what I have in mind for tonight?

Christen: Knowing you, and what some of us have been like and done in previous group gatherings, I will say......Truth or Dare.

Lauren: Give the lady a cigar because she's right. Only ground rule is that we go easy on the two freshmen in the first round. Otherwise, it's no-holds-barred. Lindsey, Truth or Dare?

Lindsey: Truth.

Lauren: Which one of the eight freshmen would you want to take to bed the most?

Lindsey: You trying to get me in trouble with Emily?! Hayley, because she seems so sweet and innocent. Brooke, Truth or Dare?

Brooke: Dare.

Lindsey: Stick your hand down your shorts and rub yourself for 5 seconds.

Brooke wondered what a not-so-tame dare was if this one was considered letting her off easy. After taking a deep breath, she slid her right hand under the waistband of her shorts and rubbed her pubic region, causing a slight bit of tingling.

Brooke: Christen, Truth or Dare?

Christen: Truth.

Brooke: Have you ever had sex with one of your teammates?

Christen looked at Lauren and Lindsey, then back at Brooke. "Yes. I live with one and we've been "together" since early last fall."

Lauren: Let's not be too harsh on Brooke. She's new and probably doesn't know yet who's with who around here.

Christen: Steph, Truth or Dare?

Steph: Truth.

Christen: What is the most embarrassing thing Sam and/or Kristie has ever done to you?

Steph: Oh no! You're NOT getting me to admit to that. I bet one of them told you the story and you're just trying to get me to admit that it's true.

Lauren whispered to Christen, "Is this the one with the pail and....."

Christen nodded back at Lauren and then looked back at Steph.

Steph: Since I took truth, I guess I have to tell it. I got wasted at their parents' place and the two of them proceeded to strip me and place my hand in a bowl of warm water, causing me to have a small accident.

Emma and Becca chuckled a bit at Big Bad Hoodrat's adventure, but Lindsey felt sympathy for her as the trick sounded like something Emily might pull on her if the chance ever arose.

Steph: Since you thought that was funny, Emma, you go next. Truth or Dare?

Emma: Dare.

Steph: I dare you to chat up Lauren as though you were interested in her.

Emma thought for a few seconds of how she wanted to approach her, then slithered over to Lauren and started whispering naughty thoughts into her ear. "Girl, you don't know how good you could have it if you let me whisk you away to my little corner of the world, where we could revel in each other and I would treat you like a queen. How 'bout it, baby?"

Lauren: Now I see how you landed Savannah.

Emma: I didn't have to land her. We had known each other for seven or eight years before becoming an item. I told that story at Recruit Day to some of you, I think. Becca, Truth or Dare?

Becca: Truth.

Emma: What is the furthest you have gone with anyone on a first date?

Becca: Wide turn around first base but no attempt to get to second.

Emma: So kissing, necking, but no nudity or hands under clothing?

Becca: Yes. Well, well, it's Lauren's turn. Have I got something in mind for you. First, Truth or Dare?

Lauren pondered what Becca could be plotting, but felt that she could handle whatever it was. "Dare".

Becca: I remember last year you said something about admiring the chest of one of our teammates and that if you got to see it again, you might be tempted to show it some attention. I dare you to take one of Christen's nipples into your mouth.

The entire group gasped at Becca's dare, even Christen. The pair exchanged a look and got on with it. Christen lifted her shirt and bra to expose her breasts, then Lauren leaned over and placed her lips around her left nipple, sucking and licking it.

Lauren: Second round and this time, all the questioners must either ask a more provocative question or a more risky dare. I'm going to start with Emma. Truth or Dare?

Emma: Truth.

Lauren: Are you and Savannah planning to break in at least one of your beds tonight after you both return to your room?

Emma: We haven't discussed it, but probably. I am definitely pent-up and I'm sure she is as well.

Most of the players nodded as they could empathize with their situation.

Emma: Lindsey, Truth or Dare?

Lindsey: Dare.

Emma: I dare you to mack on Mac. Feel her up like you would in a club.

Lindsey walked over and got behind Steph, then ran her hands up and down her sides and pressed her lower body into her back, which caused her to lean back into the contact and rub up against the Hoff.

Lindsey: Becca, Truth or Dare?

Becca: Dare.

Lindsey: I know you are a quiet assassin at this game, so I'm going to give you a VERY daring dare. I dare you to take Lauren into the closet for seven minutes of heavy breathing, and at least two articles of clothing need to be missing when you come out.

Becca and Lauren got up and went to the closet, with Becca opening the door for the two of them and then closing it once they were inside.

Becca: How game are you?

Lauren: Fairly. Why?

Becca: Didn't know if you were looking to fake them out or would be open to some extracurriculars.

Lauren: I sucked on Christen's tit in front of all of you, so that should tell you a little something about my boundaries. What do you have in mind?

Becca: A bit of hanky-panky. Some second-base action if not third. As for the missing clothes, your shirt and my shorts?

Lauren got the hint and immediately went to rubbing against Becca, pressing her against one of the walls. Becca got her hands up under Lauren's t-shirt and pulled it off, then placed her lips against her breastbone and slid her bra straps and cups down to expose what was hiding behind them. Lauren ground into Becca and tugged her shorts down before pressing their clothed quims together. Lindsey walked over and knocked on the door. The pair exited the closet with some of their clothing no longer on to the delight of the others.

Becca: Brooke, Truth or Dare?

Brooke: Truth.

Becca: What is the most taboo thing you've ever done?

Brooke: Taboo, as in against the law or against my religion?

Becca: More like considered unacceptable in the eyes of others. Doesn't have to be illegal or immoral, per se.

Brooke paused and wondered if she wanted to share her worst moment or just a bad one. As she wanted to make a good impression and compensate for the bad question she asked Christen in Round One, she went with a big No-No.

Brooke: My sister Nicole and I got into a hot make-out session last summer. She wanted some practice for her new job and I was willing to help her out. We didn't go so far as actual flesh-on-flesh contact, but it was steamy and let us both out-of-breath.

Lauren dwelled on Brooke's confession for a second and banked it away along with the thought that her sister might be involved with the ambassadors program and its activities.

Steph: That's hot! Could never get Kristie and Sam to do that in front of me, but I dreamed about it many times.

Lindsey: And this is why you can't find a good woman, Steph. Your head is so twisted with perversion, like Becca's is, that no self-respecting chica would give you the time of day.

Steph: You wound me. I'm trying to clean up my act so I can prove to Danny that I'm not a pig.

Brooke: Steph, Truth or Dare?

Steph: Dare.

Brooke: I dare you to motorboat Lindsey.

Steph: You serious?!

Brooke: If they can get me to confess about almost having sex with my sister, I can make you act indecent for my benefit. Now get to it!

Steph looked at Lindsey, then remembered how she felt while being macked-on by her earlier and proceeded to crawl over to her, then lifted her shirt and placed her face smack dab between her breasts. Lindsey leaned back and took in the sensations from Steph's mouth.

Steph: Christen, Truth or Dare?

Christen: I better go truth the way the dares are progressing.

Steph: I know Maggie walked in on you and Julie in the sack during the Spring Break trip. Have you had any worse happen when you were with a girlfriend?

Christen: My previous girlfriend's father came home from work early and found her and I in the living room in a very compromising position, let's just say. He waited until we could untangle ourselves, then requested we get dressed before talking to us about what he saw and inquiring as to our commitment to each other. I think THAT part was more humiliating than him seeing us eat each other out.

Lindsey: I can imagine. Don't want to think of Mr. Sommer walking in on Emily and I in a similar state.

Christen: We come back to Lauren. Truth or Dare?

Lauren: Truth.

Christen: Which couple on the team would you want to engage in a four-way?

Lauren: And I can't pick you and Julie, right?

Christen: I didn't say you couldn't.

Lauren felt that certain charge which Christen always stirred in her, but chose another pair.

Lauren: For compatibility's sake, I think Maggie and Savannah would be our closest match and the ones I'd choose.

Christen: I still love you, Lauren.

Lindsey, Becca, and Emma: Awwwwwww.

Danny opened the door and plopped down on her bed, signaling to those gathered that it was probably time for them to be moving on. The group got up and left, with the vast majority returning to Augsburg and Becca stopping at Katharine along the way.


	13. Tell Me Something Good

Katelyn entered her room to see Tori working on her computer with a soundtrack of their two voices coming out of it.

Tori: You're home a bit early. I was hoping to be able to finish editing our interview before you got back so I could have you listen to and watch it before deciding if you wanted me to just hang onto it or put it out on my channel.

Katelyn: With us in-season already, a lot of what's done in the opening meeting has either already been done or isn't particularly relevant to our situation.

Tori: Can I ask you a few questions about this place since you've been here 10 days or so already?

Katelyn: Sure. I might not be able to answer all of them, but I'll try.

Tori: My brothers and I are looking to crack the bubble, if you would. How would you suggest we do that, based on what you know so far?

Katelyn: If I might ask, are we looking for traditional or non-traditional possibilities?

Tori: Well, it would be gals for all three of us, if that helps.

Katelyn: It does, since I have a better feel of where you can find those as opposed to the football or men's soccer players. This floor is loaded with them, but a fair number of the roommate pairings are also partnerships, so you'd need to be a bit cautious. Go to sporting events and hang around after games. Your YouTube thing should be an easy means of getting female athletes to talk to you. From just the little bit we've talked and been around each other, you're pretty outgoing. Are your two brothers the same?

Tori: Nope. They are the classic twin set, with a split personality. Billy's is pretty close to mine, while Cameron is the quiet one of the two.

Katelyn: I haven't gotten to visit with too many of the returning athletes so far, just the ones that are in the Peer Ministry Alliance and on my own team, but Billy and you should be able to have some success if you're sincere and put yourselves where they are. Cameron is going to need to do some work, since athletes by rite don't necessarily reach out beyond their own circle or those the circle knows. If he's looking to actually get face-to-face with some of them without going too far out of his comfort zone, he should really talk to Deacon Schmidt.

Tori: THE CHAPLAIN?!

Katelyn: Yes. As you heard in today's service, he has some pretty big sports-related connections. He's also a former soccer coach and administrator and he seems to know where the bodies are buried in the athletic department here, based on how he was able to help my dad out of a jam that might have involved one of them. All of us are visiting the chapel tomorrow during orientation, so I'd suggest that you and Cameron bring up the sports side of his call here and perhaps get an interview with him for your channel.

Tori: Hey, that's not a bad idea. So, you said a number of the athletes on our floor are coupled-up with their roommates. Care to disclose?

Katelyn thought about this, wondering who on the floor was visibly out and who wasn't. Realizing that she only had to give a couple of examples, she went with the ones she knew were publicly in the tribe.

Katelyn: The two women across the hall from us. One's a lacrosse player and the other a field hockey player. They're together. So are the two in 342. One of the ones in 334 is with one in 332 and the other in 332 is dating one of the sisters in 338. As for who else is with who, I can't really confirm any of that.

Tori: OK, so they're off-limits, but they might know who's single on their teams. I need to stop in and see Gavin Winchester tomorrow to find out if I will have access to the All-Sports Mixer on Wednesday.

Katelyn: Good thing I don't have practice tomorrow, but I expect the non-stop orientation sessions to wear me out nonetheless. I'll have to take a look at your finished product in the morning since I'm struggling to stay awake.

Tori: Goodnight, roomie.

Tori spent a little while longer editing her interview with Katelyn, getting it completed shortly before 10pm.

**********

As the Mueller sisters were winding down for the evening, they compared notes from their team bonding groups.

Kristie: What did you learn from the people in your group?

Sam: Some of it I knew from last year, but there were a few facts that came out. Julie Koerner's brother-in-law is Max Scherzer of the Washington Nationals, Hayley and Sam live across the street from one another, and Savannah has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do.

Kristie: I had Sam in my group, and she brought up their living near each other. She also sort of confirmed something that I had been wondering.

Sam: That her and Hayley are an item?

Kristie: Not exactly sure, but she didn't categorize her as her roommate in our game of "Mate or Roommate". She feels something for her, and I think the feeling is mutual since Steph Lafleur had this smug grin on her face when Sam flipped her card that said "Mate". I know Steph and Hayley have talked a bit on the occasions she has come to campus, so she must know that Hayley is at least somewhat interested in Sam as more than a friend and roommate.

Sam: So that could be the seventh couple on the team to match last year's total. Learn anything about people in your group?

Kristie: Really nothing that I didn't already know. Steph told about Alyssa getting brownies for her birthday instead of cake because it falls on 4/20.

Sam: Gotta think about doing that for Amanda next year.

Kristie: Back to Hayley and Sam. How do we get that ship sailing?

Sam: Steph's already sort of on the case, it sounds like. Maybe you can help Hayley with wardrobe for the All-Sports Mixer so that Sam's head turns a bit.

Kristie: Alyssa and Steph are going down to Coach Dillon's tomorrow afternoon for some fashion advice. Maybe you should tag along and take advantage of the opportunity to talk shop with them about what they know from Hayley's side of the equation.

Sam: That's a pretty good idea. I'm going to walk over to their room and see if I can join them.

Sam left her and Kristie's room temporarily to visit Steph. Both her and Alyssa were in and the three of them coordinated their schedules to congregate at Niemoller at 11:30 to gather anyone else going and then follow Dani back to her and Michelle's place. Sam then returned to her room and changed before settling into bed with her current favorite read, "Becoming" by Michelle Obama. Kristie was catching up on social media via her phone and sent out a text to Hayley, Erin, and Brooke desiring to meet for lunch tomorrow with them. Around 11:00, Sam closed her book and asked her sister to turn out the light.

**********

Lindsay came home from the hockey team's meeting and activities to find Julie watching SportsCenter with an anticipatory look on her face. After sitting down on her bed and waiting for a commercial, Lindsay asked her roommate about her evening.

Lindsay: How did your time with the lacrosse squad go?

Julie: It was pretty good. Coach Hawthorne is really nice, and Sam and Lauren, our two captains, seem to be interested in building good team chemistry before we start preseason in January. Sam was the leader for my bonding group, where we play something called "I Question That."

Lindsay: Is that similar to "Malarkey", where you have to say something about yourself, either true or false, and see if anyone challenges it?

Julie: Yes, that's the concept. I threw out something pretty outlandish but true and the other freshman in our group, Hayley, decided to call me out. She ended up having to drink a shot of apple cider vinegar as punishment for being wrong.

Lindsay: So what was the fact you disclosed?

Julie: That my sister is married to a former Cy Young Award winner.

Lindsay: No kidding?! Let me guess, he pitched tonight and you're looking for the result and highlights.

Julie: Yeah. Max was awful in his last start against the Cardinals. He tends to struggle when he plays them in St. Louis because he feels a lot of pressure to do well in front of the hometown crowd. I told him after the game that I'd be up here by the time he pitched again tonight, so he better give me something worthwhile to watch on SportsCenter after my first day at Trinity.

Lindsay: That's pretty cool. So how did he and your sister meet?

Julie: He was back in St. Louis in the off-season one year and was one of the highlighted guests at a fundraiser for the Humane Society of Missouri that Caitlin attended. While walking around the facility and looking at the dogs up for adoption, they were both taken by a Beagle/German Shepherd mix. The two of them talked and bonded a little bit with the dog, which Caitlin ended up adopting. Max set up a play date for Regan and his parents' Chocolate Lab Stan The Man, named after Stan Musial, and that started things. Eventually, the dogs weren't as front-and-center to the two of them meeting up, and after a couple of years she moved to DC and, well, the rest is history. The Nats are playing the Brewers over Labor Day weekend, so I'll get to see him then. Their rotation has him pitching Tuesday night against the Twins and next Monday at home against the Phillies, but with the off-day next Thursday, he might be moved up and throw the final game here that Sunday.

Lindsay: I totally get the feeling of having to keep up on your loved ones through the newspaper or the Internet. My dad is an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Admirals, the AHL affiliate of the Nashville Predators. He got that job here the summer before my junior year of high school, before which we had been in five different cities the previous eight seasons. Such is the life of a coach's family.

Julie: Preds, blech! Sorry. Big Blues fan. At least your team isn't as detestable as the Blackhawks.

Lindsay: Definitely! My brother tried to latch on with the Blue Jackets after graduating from Ohio State and got a cup or two of coffee with their AHL affiliate in Syracuse, but it wasn't meant to be for him to play professionally, I guess. He's working on a degree in sport management at the University of Ottawa and volunteering with the Gatineau Olympiques of the QMJHL.

Julie: Sounds like he's staying in the game and landed on his feet reasonably well.

Lindsay: Doesn't hurt having some connections, although neither of us really like relying on them. It just makes people wonder if you earned what you got.

Julie: Just like I don't try to make too big of a deal with my connection to Max. You never know who's your friend because of you and who's one because of who you know.

Lindsay: I'm turning in.

Julie returned her attention to the TV and saw that her brother-in-law picked up the win over the Diamondbacks with a 14-strikeout, 3-hit performance in 8 innings of pitching. Having learned that, she rolled over and went to sleep, with Lindsay turning out the light shortly thereafter.

**********

Savannah had spent the time waiting for Emma to arrive back from Tietjen preparing a romantic interlude for the two of them. When Emma opened the door and saw how the room was laid out and her girlfriend lying on the bed in a teasing fashion, she walked over and sat down beside her.

Emma: Lauren insinuated that we were going to break in at least one of the beds tonight, and I think you just confirmed that she's right. God are you adorable, my love.

Savannah leaned over and pecked Emma's cheek. "So what did your group do for team bonding?"

Emma: Truth or Dare, and I ended up in the group with the less-inhibited players on the team, so the questions and tasks were fairly invasive.

Savannah: How so?

Emma: Let's see. Two players coming out of the closet half-clothed, one giving oral stimulation to another's upper body in front of the rest of us, another admitting her ex's father walking in on the two of them 69'ing.

Savannah: Whoa! That IS pretty wild for a first night.

Emma: I think them knowing each other fairly well, and them also being the wildest players on the team, allowed them to be so forward with one another.

Savannah rested her lips against Emma's neck and sucked a little. "Did you have to do anything like that to one of the others?"

Emma moaned slightly before responding. "I had to chat up Steph McNamara, the team's resident shouldn't-be-allowed-in-public player. I thought I did pretty well, but all the while I was thinking of you and how I would want you to attack me afterwards."

Emma surprised Savannah and turned toward her, then pinned her to the bed. Their lips quickly found each other's and before long the clothing began to disappear. With several weeks of pent-up desire, the pair went at it fast and furious for several minutes, bringing each other off rather quickly. With Emma on her back, Savannah moved gently down her body, caressing and kissing her in a number of places before resting her mouth over the goalkeeper's vaginal lips. Emma begged for Savannah to bring her core up to her head, to which she obliged. There was no rush for either one in bringing their partner to a second orgasm, just a desire to express their love for the other through their touch. After they both achieved their desired result, the two cuddled and then fell asleep in each other's arms with their legs entangled.


	14. Making Inroads

Marc's ten-session day with the Class of 2023 got off to a fairly tame start, as the first orientation group didn't ask much in the way of questions. However, one of them was fairly curious about his job and some of its perks.

Cameron Abrams: I've been told that you have a wide range of involvement and activity within the campus community as well as the ELCA as a whole. Would you tell us about some of those areas?

Marc: OK, who ratted me out?! Let's start with my role as the synod's contact person at Trinity for those in the candidacy process and the diaconate education program. I work with students who have been accepted to the ELCA candidacy process on their academic and professional plans while here, file end-of-year reports with their committees detailing their progress to graduation, and interview students nearing completion of the certificate program in Practical Ministry before giving Bishop Emerson my recommendation concerning consecration as a synodical deacon. I also serve as the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics' magistrate, ruling on cases of misconduct involving student-athletes. Recently, I brought my coaching education business to Trinity, where it is housed within the Department of Physical Education, and oversee the Urban Coaching Institute as Executive Director. Steph mentioned yesterday during the opening service that I am asked on occasion to preside over wedding ceremonies for professional female athletes, such as the four I did last year and the two scheduled for this upcoming year, one in Vancouver on New Year's Eve and the other in Atlanta in February. As for unofficial parts of my job, I mentor young coaches in the athletic department and provide feedback for them regarding on and off-field aspects of their positions and teams.

The first group exited Bonhoeffer and Group 2, which included his nephew, Matt, Julie Koerner, and tennis player Sabrina Dacey, entered a few minutes later. Marc shared glances with both Steph and Alyssa, then took a deep breath and went into his short presentation on the chaplain's office and religious activity on campus. Alyssa offered her perspective as the head of the Peer Ministry Alliance and Deacon Schmidt's most experienced trainee in leading worship. Steph then said a few words on behalf of Erin and Cali and their plans for the Activities Fair on Monday along with mentioning Lunch Bunch. Marc sought out questions from the students in the pews and had a few hands go up. After Marc answered one about residence hall ministry, Matt chimed in with an inquiry of his own.

Matt Olson: Uncle Marc, what are some of the benefits of participating in Lutheran Student Movement or being a part of the chaplain's office?

Marc grimaced at Matt's reference to him and did his best not to show his displeasure with him. Steph placed her hand on Marc's leg in an attempt to keep him calm. Marc gave her a look of thanks before answering Matt's question.

Marc: In case anyone is questioning why the gentleman at the back of your group referred to me as Uncle Marc, it is because he's my nephew. Matt, take a bow. Now, to answer your question, one of the biggest benefits of being part of either LSM or my office's activities is the opportunity to attend conferences and other events at synod or university expense. The experience one gains in those settings can be invaluable should he or she be considering a career as a rostered leader or looking to be consecrated as a synodical deacon.

Julie Koerner: I'd like one of the peer ministers to answer this one. In my experience, a lot of "church" friendships are shallow, superficial, and maintained for appearances' sake. How would you characterize the ones you have with your fellow leaders and other members of the on-campus congregation?

Alyssa: Like any group of people, some individuals will be closer to certain people than others. That said, I feel like Marc's model of ministry and his requirement of authenticity and vulnerability between us sets the tone for how "real" our friendships are. You almost need to spend time around several of us together to get a good feel for it. You live in Augsburg, correct?

Julie: Yes.

Alyssa: When you have free time this weekend, drop in on some of us. Of the eleven women on the peer ministry team, seven of them live on the third floor of Augsburg.

Steph: You know some of us a little bit already, Julie. Julie Jacobsen, Erin, Christen, and myself are all part of PMA, as is Sofia's roommate and girlfriend, Vanessa, and Erin's roommate, Cali.

Julie banked away Steph's comments and also pondered stopping by the chaplain's office on Monday to discuss her "fame" and how it impacts her ability to trust others. The second group left Bonhoeffer for their next session, leaving Marc to talk for a couple of minutes with Steph and Alyssa.

Marc: I cannot BELIEVE he would put me on the spot like that! After all the warnings I have laid down about using me to prop up his image, he STILL goes ahead and plays that card.

Alyssa: We use your name on occasion to help our own causes. Why are you so hard on him for doing it?

Marc: You and Steph and Erin and Dani have all earned the ability to do it because you have the cred on your own to get where you want to go. My influence only speeds up the process of getting from A to B or clears unnecessary obstacles. I pressed Dr. Sinclair to take up your Pre-Sem application because there was no question that it was good enough to gain admission were it submitted by a man and because Bishop Emerson wanted a visible sign that the program was open to all students. As for you, Steph, the case-building for you and Erin concerning your suspension following the Macalester trip was about making sure you had all the information you needed to make your appeal to Gavin once you were back on campus. Nothing that I wouldn't have done for anyone else who was facing such a miscarriage of justice. Matt, he wants the standing without putting in the work to get it.

Steph: You told me and Erin that you're worried he will eventually cause harm to others by his tactics.

Marc: Yep. He wants to hitch himself to someone who can "elevate" him. As I told you, he's like me but without the life experience under his belt to best utilize the luck of birth or relation he has. When I was his age, I probably did a lot of name-dropping to boost my own cause, especially when it came to professional advancement since I was so young when I moved into the director of soccer role at Riverside. I still have times when I will over-research situations and people to place myself in the exact spot where I can make an advance, but I don't need to do that since my accomplishments make me a more desirable person with which to associate.

Alyssa: So what really is his game, Marc?

Marc: Landing himself a high-level partner. He'd like me to help him do that, but I have earned too much trust and carry too much responsibility to stick my neck out to be his hype man. He wanted me to get him Erin, not knowing she was with Steph or didn't play for his team. He's already had his eye on some of the women here and asked for my assistance just after Danielle's funeral.

Steph: Correct, and I told Marc's sister that he needed to refine his act if he wanted to be successful around here with the ladies. If he found out who some of the athletes here know, he'd be after them like Pooh Bear working over a pot of honey.

Marc: Enough about that. He's in, he's out, and I hope I won't be dealing with him until Sunday at the house. Both of you are coming, right?

Alyssa and Steph both responded positively, with Steph saying that she and Erin were undecided between coming early on Sunday or coming Saturday evening and staying over, to which Marc said, "Just let me know one way or the other so I'm not shocked if I find you in the kitchen at 3 in the morning."

The remainder of Marc's morning groups came and went with little fanfare other than Katelyn getting an invite from Alyssa to come to Marc's with her on Sunday and Marc answering Jordan Hubbard's question about the peer minister's role in the dorms relative to that of the resident assistants. When Group 5 left, Steph and Alyssa dashed out of Bonhoeffer to meet Sam Mueller at Niemoller for their trip with Alanna to Dani's house in Brown Deer. Marc and Karina met up for lunch in Siebert, where Matt and Cali joined them for a relaxing meal ahead of the afternoon sessions in the chapel.

**********

Dani: Welcome, ladies! I don't believe I know one of you yet.

Alanna: Alanna Kemper. I play on the women's volleyball team at Trinity and live upstairs from the other three in Augsburg.

Dani extended her hand to Alanna, which she shook firmly. "So the four of you are looking for some help, or maybe even outfits, for Wednesday night? Let's go into my room and start narrowing down the options."

The four athletes followed Dani back to her room. She opened her closet and pulled out a few dresses that she already had considered suitable for Steph and Alyssa. The two goalkeepers tried on the options that their personal stylist deemed right for them (Alyssa's being a white sleeveless number with multi-tone blue flowers, Steph a blue fit-and-flare with a bow at the waist and netting above the bust) and, after slipping on their shoes, asked for opinions from the others.

Sam: I think both of those look GREAT on you! I know both of you are trying to get closer to your partners' feminine styles and these dresses do that without the look being too far out of your element

Alyssa: Thanks, Sammy. Steph?

Steph: Looks good on you. What about mine?

Alyssa: Almost as girly as what I think Erin will probably wear. Might even match on color since she always goes with blue when it comes to formal events.

Dani: I should echo all of your remarks, but I knew these two dresses would be the right ones for each of you. Alanna, want to take a try?

Alanna: Guess so. As you can see, I am tall and a bit muscular, so maybe something that hides the upper arms a bit.

Dani looked through her off-the-shoulder outfits and came across a rust-colored dress with sleeves that extended down to the elbow but with the shoulders exposed. She laid it out on her bed and placed a belt alongside it so Alanna could form the middle section to her waist. After getting into it and tying the belt, she modeled it for the other four.

Alyssa: I like it. Hides the arms, can be made to conform to your mid-section and doesn't make you look taller than you already are because of the lower hem line and the free-flowing lower half of the dress.

Sam: What she said.

Steph: Ditto.

Alanna: Don't know that I'm completely sold, since Kayla and I tend to coordinate our outfits when we go out.

Dani: Take it and if you choose something else, you choose something else. The four of you can drop off whatever you borrow in Coach Hawthorne's office on Thursday morning.

Sam: I liked the olive wrap I bought last fall, but I'm thinking something in a brighter color, same style would be better for a late-summer event.

Dani: I think I have just the ticket for that. Actually, two tickets.

She went to the closet and pulled out two dresses, one hot pink and the other a lighter pink. She tried on the first one and asked the others to weigh in.

Alanna: I think it's too bright given your complexion.

Steph: It could work if you pair it with more neutral accessories.

Dani: Which is what I do since matching it with other bright pieces is like neon overload, usually.

Sam took the first dress off and gave the second one a whirl.

Alyssa: That one is better, in my opinion. Like Alanna said, the hot pink wasn't right for your complexion, while this one is. Lower hem makes you not look like a string bean and the form-fitting at the waist and down the hips accentuates what curves you have.

Dani: It's almost the same as the olive wrap-around you have, but a lighter fabric. I'd recommend this one over the other.

Sam: I'll go with it.

Dani: Now to get your advice. The monochrome looks I tend to wear for university events are, frankly, a bit boring. Now that I'm, well, sort of taken, I want to mix it up some. I'm thinking of this outfit for Wednesday and I want to know if you think it's too busy, brash, not suitable for this event, etc.

Dani stripped out of her t-shirt and shorts, then removed her trainers and socks before putting on her dress (black off-the-shoulder midi with blue and white flowers and the shoes (her black stiletto sandals with ankle straps) and bag she planned to accessorize with it.

Alanna: WOW! I've seen Kayla pull off looks like that and be smoking, but not someone our size. I have to say that you look fabulous, Coach Dillon.

Dani: You're not on the soccer team, so first-name basis, OK?

Alanna: OK, Danielle.

Sam: I'll never be able to keep up with you in the fashion department, Dani, but you give me inspiration for what I COULD look like.

Alyssa: I think for the Mixer, it's fine. You're theoretically off-the-clock and it's supposed to be a bit more laid-back than other events on-campus.

Steph: You're going to floor XP with that get-up.

Alyssa: XP?

Steph (harshly whispering): Expansion Pack. You know, Mad Dog, our boss.

Alyssa: Ahhhhh. Yeah, he won't know what hit him.

Sam: You talking about "the man"?

Steph: Yep.

Dani: Alanna, you have to be a bit confused by what the other three are discussing.

Alanna: Sounds like you have a boyfriend who works at Trinity and will be at the Mixer.

Dani: Sort of. We're not officially together, since it would be an absolute mess to be public at the moment, but Alyssa, Steph, and Sam have seen me with him in other venues and know to some extent about us.

Alanna: I look forward to possibly meeting him on Wednesday.

Steph: You already have, and I'll leave it at that.

Michelle came home from school and said hi to the Trinity athletes before changing to go out with Dawson. Prior to their leaving, Steph and Alyssa grabbed a couple of outfits for Katelyn to test out when they got back to campus and thanked Dani again for opening up her closet to them and their sisters of a certain build.

**********

The afternoon orientation sessions for Marc, Karina, and Erin resulted in the chaplain being asked by Tori Abrams to do an interview with her on Monday morning, Savannah and Emma being invited by Erin to Sunday's cook-out at Marc's, and him being asked by Kailen Short about his past stops in the game of life, as she believed he and her mom knew one another way back when.


	15. Start Your Fires!

As the sun shone through his bedroom window on Sunday morning, Marc rolled away from the bright light and into the person lying next to him. He wrapped his arms around her and pressed his face into the back of her head, nuzzling her cascade of curly hair.

Dani: Mmmmmm. Morning.

Marc: That's what it is.

Dani looked back and stuck her tongue out at Marc.

Marc: You gonna share that or just tease me with it?

Dani: Let me think about that........I suppose I can share.

Dani rolled over to face Marc, then rested her head under his chin before kissing him on the neck and moving up to press her lips against his. The pair kissed for a few seconds before splitting their lips and connecting the tips of their tongues. She sucked on his slightly before pulling him onto her.

Marc: Last night wasn't enough for you?

Dani: I can NEVER get enough of you.

Marc: I guess that's good since I can't keep myself from wanting you, heart, body, mind, and soul.

Dani: And how many of those do I have already?

Marc: The second, definitely. Most of the first, and the third and fourth are becoming more consumed with you.

Marc let out a sigh. "We SHOULD get up, since who knows when the kids will show up. I told Erin to bring Matt with her and Steph so he wouldn't be trying to scheme another way out here."

Dani reached up and gave Marc a kiss, then grabbed his butt and squeezed it. "Giving you something to think about for later." Marc smiled down at her, kissed her once more, then got up and changed into presentable clothing (a Philadelphia Hearts t-shirt and khaki shorts).

**********

In the kitchen, Marc was parboiling brats in Schlitz beer and onions while Dani was measuring out meat for hamburgers in preparation for the arrival of the Trinity students. Once both of those tasks were completed, Marc went to doling out chocolate chip cookie dough on a pair of sheets for baking. While slicing tomatoes and onions for the burgers, Dani received a text from Cali asking if she could invite Amber and Cami to the party. Dani checked with Marc and got an OK that she then passed onto her cousin.

A few minutes after 10, Erin, Steph, and Matt came strolling into the house.

Erin: Guess who's here?!

Marc responded from the kitchen, "The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders?"

Steph laughed at Marc's answer, then replied, "Close, but no cigar. It's us, your loving pseudodaughters with Matty Boy in tow."

Dani walked out to the living room and greeted the three of them.

Matt (to Dani): Aren't you one of the coaches at Trinity?

Dani: Yes. I'm with the women's soccer team.

Matt: And you're here why?

Steph and Erin looked at each other, then struggled to come up with an answer. Luckily, Dani was quick on her feet and shot back at him.

Dani: You know how your uncle can't cook or do much of anything in the kitchen, so he asked me to help him out.

Matt muttered under his breath, "Likely story. Bet he's banging her now that Danielle is dead."

Erin overheard him and immediately went looking for Marc, finding him out in the backyard setting up some tables and chairs. After giving him a hug and peck on the cheek, she told him she needed his undivided attention for a few minutes. The two sat down and Marc opened the dialogue.

Marc: What's up?

Erin: That nephew of yours is just....ARGH! When Dani came out of the kitchen to greet us after arriving, he asked her what she was doing here since she wasn't a student. Not sure how he would come to believe that faculty and staff wouldn't be welcomed by you. Luckily, she was able to give him a reasonable response, telling him that your lack of cooking skills meant you asked her for help in putting the cookout together.

Marc: Hmmm. Not liking the attitude he's already taken in his first few days down here.

Erin: That's not the worst of it. After that, he muttered under his breath that you're probably sexing her up now that you're single.

Marc seethed at Erin's last comment. While thinking about how he wanted to handle his sister's semi-evil spawn, Christen and Julie came outside and joined the two of them.

Marc (to Julie): I hope Matt hasn't given either you or Christen any reason yet to throw him off a cliff.

Julie: I think he was in the bathroom when we arrived. Haven't had the pleasure of seeing him again.

Christen: Is he as bad as all of you are claiming? I met him at Danielle's funeral, then we crossed paths on Thursday in front of Augsburg, and he seems like a normal boy.

Marc: He was with Laurie in both instances, so the bravado was less-pronounced than what some of us have seen since then.

Christen: I'm going to go back inside and keep Steph company while you're out here commiserating.

Christen went back into Marc's house and found that Cali, Amber, Cami, Alyssa, and Katelyn had shown up in the interim. With only Savannah and Emma missing from those invited, everyone except Christen and Dani moved outside.

**********

After everyone had a plate filled with what they wanted, Marc addressed those gathered.

Marc: Thank you all for choosing to accept our invitations and joining us for an afternoon away from campus to chill, eat, relax, and not think about classes or practice. Look around here. This is what one could call an extended family, made up of my small posse and those who they consider close to them. 

Erin: After Danielle's passing last April, a large hole was left in both my and Marc's lives. Being home for the summer helped a lot in that I had my parents around most of the time, but returning to Trinity has brought that absence back to the fore. I know that I have some very special people gathered here today, ones that I feel can be my support group when the grief returns. Thank you for coming and being part of our family.

Dani sat down next to Marc and took his hand under the table, then whispered to him, "Well done, boo. I'm here, now and always, for you and Erin."

Marc squeezed her hand and placed the ASL sign for "I love you" on her leg with his fingers. Alyssa, Steph, and Katelyn talked about Wednesday night and when she wanted to stop by their room to try on the outfits they borrowed for her from Dani. Erin moved around to check on everyone and sat with Matt for a few minutes.

Erin: How are you adjusting to life here?

Matt: I'm doing OK, I guess. My roommate and I won't be best friends, I can tell you that, but we should be able to tolerate each other enough that neither of us will be trying to find a new one. How did you handle having Marc all up in your business when you arrived at Trinity?

Erin: All up in my business? We would usually see each other on Wednesdays for worship and Lunch Bunch, Mondays for our peer ministry meetings during spring semester, and random times I'd stop into his office. Outside of that, he and I don't socialize much on-campus. Off-campus, that's another story.

Matt: Did he tell you he wasn't real happy that I decided to come to Trinity?

Erin: Yes, he did, but now that you're here, he's trying to make the best of it.

Matt: By putting all of you on alert about me?

Erin: I think you need to talk to him and lay out what's on your mind. I'm going to ask the rest of the family to stick around so we can get everything out in the open.

Erin got up and went over to Alyssa, asking if she could get Cami and Amber back to campus because she wanted Cali to stick around for a family meeting with Marc, Steph, Dani, Matt, and herself. Alyssa said that she could do that and wished her well in dealing with the perceived problem child. Following that, Erin grabbed Cali and informed her of the upcoming sit-down and that she had worked out with Alyssa to get her two teammates back to Trinity so she could stay.

**********

The party broke up around 6:00 and, after plating up their dinner from the remaining burgers, brats, and snack food, the Schmidt "clan" sat around the dining room table for a chat.

Marc: I understand, Matt, that you're having concerns about my involvement in your affairs. Tell me what I'm doing that disturbs you, because I believe I am leaving you to navigate your way without my being a nuisance.

Matt: I guess the biggest concern I have is that you're letting those closest to you know about my bad side and not giving me a chance to make my own first impression upon them.

Marc: OK, I admit that I have been warning others about your general attitude and thinking because I'm afraid you can do some serious damage to them if they're not aware of it.

Matt: How do I make my way at Trinity if everyone has the opinion that I can't be trusted?

Marc: You have to prove them wrong about that, and it must come from you and only you. I was none too pleased with the little stunt you pulled on Friday. There was absolutely no need for you to out me like that except that you felt it would give you a small boost amongst the group you were in. You talk about wanting to make your own first impression, but then use your connection to me to help you do it. Which way do you want it, Matt?

Matt: I want the ability to pave my own way on an individual level but also gain some traction within the larger university community.

Marc: The logic in that statement....I can't even begin to parse out. So you want my help to get you advanced standing or credibility with people at Trinity, but you're not offering me anything for it. It's as though I should let you tout my name because we're related, where all the benefit would derive to you without so much as a thank you. That's not how it works. Erin, Dani, Steph, want to chime in here based on your experience with me last year?

Erin: Marc IS a kind and generous person, but you have to do your part in tapping into his benevolent side. There are no free rides around here, no matter how much it looks like some of us are getting them.

Matt: What about the trips around the country to accompany him to weddings?

Steph: You may see it like that from the outside, but for us, it's multiple days of classes missed and a workload that can range from simple tasks to participating in the ceremony, all on a stage much more public than anything we do at Trinity. And we only get into the position to be called upon by being trustworthy and showing Marc that we can handle the responsibility of representing his office and the university in that arena.

Dani: Your uncle provided me with some high-quality professional development experiences last year, but I didn't ask him for them. I accept that he has a heart of gold and a "me first" attitude. We've all seen his less-than-charitable side and the ends to which he'll go to protect what's his, be it money, clout, affection, admiration, etc. The three of us love him in spite of his ability to be an asshole on occasion. The reason you're having a hard time dealing with him is because you're very much like him, albeit without the life experience yet to know when to push and when to let the passage of time do its work. As Erin said, there are no free rides when it comes to his willingness to aid you. Sometimes, you have to do the work first to get the reward, other times it's the opposite.

Matt: All I really want is to stand out somehow, to not be a number or a face on our campus.

Marc: That part is easy. Get involved in things outside the classroom, like LSM or PMA or intramurals or the Residence Hall Association. You'll get a chance to show your abilities, which will lead to standing out and not being a random face at Trinity.

Matt: Maybe the women can help me with this question. How do I find a good partner on campus?

Cali: Depends on what you consider good.

Matt: Someone with cred, like an athlete or a legacy.

Marc: I'm going to stop you right there and correct something. Legacies don't exist at Trinity yet since we're only in the second year of existence.

Matt: What about PKs? Any of those?

Marc: Yeah.....

Steph: If I can give you a bit of advice, Matt, from my struggles at the beginning of last year relative to winning Erin. Finding the right partner shouldn't be your objective, but rather becoming the right partner to attract what it is you want.

Dani: Marc, can I tell him?

Marc: I'll do it, Deuce. Matt, Dani and I are unofficially together. That's why you saw her here when you arrived. She stayed over so that we could work together on preparing the food, and because we enjoy one another's company in that way. That's why she and her cousin are part of this new family circle, because at some point in the future, I plan to make a long-term commitment to her.

Dani: When we got reacquainted last fall, I figured out that he was someone that I wanted to care for, to love, to share my whole self with. OK, at first it was about having a safe guy to satisfy my carnal whims, but over time I started to see what he needed from someone and showed him that I could provide him those things. If you're looking for someone with "cred", you need to understand what a person with that type of baggage needs from a significant other, and most of the time it's a steady hand, a cheerleader, and someone who sees past the status and engages her as a real person.

Marc: I promise to stay out of your "bidness" if you promise not to use me as a crutch to help your cause. I think you have the potential to be someone of worth and value to another person, but that won't happen if you rely on third parties to do your bidding or involve them to "get over" with someone.

Matt: I can't promise I'll NEVER drop your name, but I will do my best to not do it as blatantly as I have so far.

Marc extended his hand to Matt. "Truce?"

Matt shook it. "Truce."

The four students got up from the table and threw out their trash, then headed for the door to return to campus. After they were gone, Marc and Dani cleaned up the kitchen, then went outside to pick up and store the tables and chairs. When they got back into the house, Marc asked Dani if she was planning to stay over or head home.

Dani: I'm sure you have some work to do ahead of tomorrow, so it might be best for me to head home, get a good night's sleep, and be able to get to campus early so I can work on UCP matters before practice.

Marc walked Dani out to her car, where the two held hands and exchanged a loving kiss before she got in and drove away. With the house now empty, Marc went into his office and did some research on Tori Abrams to prepare for tomorrow's interview with her along with looking over the coverage schedule for LSM/PMA's table at the Activities Fair. Sensing everything was done that could be, he headed to bed. Before falling asleep, he thought over the pow-wow he and the others had with Matt, hoping that it would lead to a good opening day of classes for him and some success with getting to know other members of the student body.


	16. Off They Go!

Tori Abrams arrived at Marc's office at 10am to interview him for her burgeoning YouTube channel. She's hoping that some of her clips from her first few days on campus will be picked up by Thunder Media for airing on the campus's television channel and the TLU website.

Tori: Chaplain, thank you for carving out some time for me to come in. As I mentioned on Friday, I am a first-year student in Mass Communication, minoring in Sports Media. I have a YouTube channel where I post interviews I've done with pro, college, high school, and amateur athletes. As part of my training in the discipline, I wanted to do one with someone in the athletic department here, but after hearing from my brother about your current role at Trinity and reading up on your past stops in the sports world, I thought you'd be a better choice. For openers, how did you get to this point from being a student-athlete?

Marc: I have always been a sports nut and got into organized sport in first grade through an indoor soccer program run by the Milwaukee Recreation Department. The next fall, my parents signed me up to play in the Milwaukee Kickers organization, which I did for four years before putting the sport on the sidelines when I went to middle school. There, I participated in intramural football, volleyball, and softball before returning to soccer when I enrolled at Riverside University High School. I also played baseball and golf there and also spent two or three days with the wrestling program. Not being the greatest athlete, I picked up the coaching bug my junior year and helped out the girls' soccer program at the school until graduation. I left Milwaukee to attend Drake University in Des Moines, IA, with my sights set on a teaching degree and coaching certification. When financial problems forced me to leave Drake after three semesters, I returned home and got back into coaching, eventually becoming director of soccer at Riverside. On the academic front, I got a BS in political science from UW-Milwaukee, followed by Master's degrees in political science from Ball State and sport administration at Western Michigan. I spent time working for a fourth-division men's soccer team in Buffalo, NY before coming back to the Midwest to found and run my own urban soccer club in Milwaukee. After shutting the club down, I started the Greater Milwaukee Synod's Diakonia program, a two-year theological primer to eventually allow graduates to be rostered within the synod for service in churches, schools, or non-profit entities. While at WMU, I worked for the school's Lutheran Campus Ministry as Assistant to the Pastor, which led to my volunteering with LCM at UW-Milwaukee while my wife was studying at the school. Those connections allowed me to make acquaintance with the synod's new bishop, Rev. Paul Emerson, and Carthage's Board of Trustees chairman, David Strasser. As to ending up here, when Carthage became Trinity Lutheran, their campus pastor chose to retire rather than re-locate. Bishop Emerson asked me if I was interested in being interim chaplain, citing my experience in multiple areas of the university as the reason why he wanted me in the position.

Tori: How did you eventually take on the role of magistrate for the athletic department here?

Marc: My experience with intercollegiate athletics and student affairs at institutions bigger and smaller than Trinity gave me a bank of knowledge as to the need for independence in dealing with cases involving student-athletes. When I met with the athletic department's staff in early September, I briefed them on my experience and was asked by Gavin Winchester, the athletic director, if I'd be willing to oversee the department's handling of student-athlete misconduct, presumably because he felt having the chaplain do it would best isolate the role from his office.

Tori: Another thing on your plate now at Trinity is being the Executive Director of the Urban Coaching Institute. Tell me about that.

Marc: One of my goals for MUSC was to eventually develop a pipeline of female soccer coaches from the player pool. That desire was still there after I ended it, so I developed a coaching module aimed at recent college graduates who wanted to enter the profession. It covers both on and off-the-field requirements of the job as well as social issues that weave their way into urban public schools' athletic programs. I was able to publish and license it in time for the 2017-2018 school year, during which several local school districts offered it to their staffs. One of Trinity's coaches, Danielle Dillon, completed the module that year, which led to her applying for and being hired as assistant women's soccer coach at TLU last summer. The Institute exists at Trinity to expand upon the research base of coaching education, to bring that to the classroom through a six-credit, two-semester seminar that would be considered as additional practicum hours toward degrees in the School of Education, and to provide a central place to develop future generations of coaches through distance-learning agreements with local school districts, colleges, and universities.

Tori: In my research, I found you had a number of dust-ups with various governing bodies at Trinity. Are you as big a pain-in-the-keester as your detractors claim?

Marc: No. I come across as being tough-as-nails in part because of my role as the university's moral leader and the athletic department's judge and jury, but another reason for this misinterpretation of my real self is that I am carrying out a long-term plan of change and evolution in Lutheran education at the behest of Bishop Emerson, and change isn't always easy or comfortable for those on whom it is thrust.

Tori: Cameron mentioned to me that you do some off-the-clock mentoring of coaches at the university. Have you run into any kind of interference from the higher-ups about sticking your nose where it doesn't necessarily belong?

Marc: Not to date. My first mentee was Coach Dillon, who played for me at MUSC while in college. Coach Hawthorne from the women's lacrosse program asked me to provide her some guidance on program management and leadership following her promotion to the top job after Coach Heberlein's departure. I am also working some with Coach Krueger from women's volleyball on growing into her new role as associate chaplain, with help from Kalamazoo College women's volleyball coach and associate chaplain Jeanne Hecker.

Tori: Final question. Do you think you will ever return to athletics full-time?

Marc: Anything can happen. I don't foresee at the present time seeking a different job than the one I have, as I am in the city I love, in a position that uses all of my skills, and with people to whom I am very close, such as my goddaughter and her girlfriend who play for the women's lacrosse team here.

Tori brought the interview to a close, then told Marc she'd send him a link to it once it was edited and posted.

**********

Corey and Matt Benning met up for lunch in Luther's Landing between classes. After sitting down, they caught up on their summer breaks and the women in their lives before getting distracted by a conversation a couple of tables away.

Nicole Elias: Kelsey, does Sara have you pulling extra shifts since we're out-of-season right now?

Kelsey Prescott: One added meeting on Friday night, and two added on Sunday night due to Monday being Labor Day. You?

Nicole: Pretty much the same as last year. Three on Friday, three on Saturday, and two on Sunday for the upcoming week.

Kelsey: Lexi, what about you?

Lexi: We're at a tournament this weekend in St. Paul, so nothing for me.

Nicole (to Kelsey): Have you tried to get your sister to join the club?

Kelsey: Not yet. I want her to figure out if she thinks it's right for her before taking the leap. She knows what I do, but I'm not exactly sure she's interested in it.

Jordan: I don't think I'd be your leader's cup of tea, especially after seeing how Carli and Allie present themselves, and I don't want to end up in the position Lexi is this semester, needing pretty high grades to pull herself off probation.

Nicole: What's your major?

Jordan: Athletic Training, which is a five-year program for the combined BS/MS.

Kelsey: It'd be hard to do the late nights and be productive in the gym or on the field, and yeah, getting off to a bad start academically here would probably put you on the wrong foot moving through the program.

Nicole and Kelsey left for their 1:00 classes, allowing Lexi and Jordan to chat alone.

Lexi: I've had a MUCH better preseason this year than last, even if Carli won't talk to me because I didn't do Churchwide with her and some of the others. My class schedule looks to be what I need to get back on track following last spring's bomb of a semester. Even being free of Sergio has been good for me. No pressure from home, nothing tying me down, and I have *YOU* here to keep me out of trouble. So why should I get back in the game?

Jordan: My opinion is you shouldn't. Sure, our team has a handful of players who are in the business, but there are a lot more of them who aren't. If you're serious about the desire to change what people around here think about you, making friends and hanging out with them would be a good move.

Lexi: After what I did to Coach Dillon last year, getting into their good graces might be a monumental task.

Jordan: Oh, I don't know about that. The theme being set by Deacon Schmidt for this year's chapels is redemption, that everyone deserves a second chance. You might have to ask Coach for forgiveness before she'll give it to you, but given that she and the chaplain are like best buds or something, it might not be as hard as you think. Same goes for Cali and others.

Having heard Cali's name come up surrounding Lexi, Matt redirected his attention to Corey.

Matt: First, what were the four girls talking about, and second, how did Cali and her cousin get involved in all of this?

Corey: There were some pastors and church leaders arrested at Churchwide for solicitation, and it sounds like some of Cali's teammates were involved.

Matt: But Lexi said she wasn't.

Corey: Maybe she participated with them in the past. Additionally, the gab from the other two would seem to line up with that. Did Cali tell you about the false allegation Lexi laid on Coach Dillon?

Matt: No.

Corey told him what he knew from the night of the Christmas Eve Service rehearsal, which Matt remembered somewhat.

Corey: It sounds like Lexi is trying to get away from that life. Marc is going to bring up the forgiveness theme in Wednesday's service, since it will be more or less an encore of our opening service, so you might be able to ask Cali about this at Lunch Bunch.

Matt: True.

The guys got up and left Albrecht for their next classes, hoping for them to be short so they could get over to the Chapel Courtyard to help with set-up for Activities Fair.

**********

Dr. Albert Moncrief, Vice President of Student Affairs, sounded a bullhorn at 3:00, signaling the start of Trinity Lutheran's Activities Fair. Over 80 organizations had secured space in and around the Chapel Courtyard to recruit students and share their messages with the rest of campus. At the Peer Ministry Alliance table, Erin and Steph were in charge for the first hour with Marc wandering around behind them in case he was needed. Lindsay and Julie Koerner came up to their table and greeted the three behind it.

Lindsay: Hi, Erin, Deacon Schmidt. Don't think I've had the pleasure of meeting the third member of this crew.

Steph: Steph Lafleur.

Lindsay: Lindsay Archibald.

Steph: Nice accent. What part of the Great White North do you hail from?

Lindsay: Spent my first eight years in London, ON, where my dad was head coach of the Knights. We moved south ten years ago so he could take a college coaching position and we've bounced around a bit since then because of his profession. Currently, I live in Brookfield.

Steph: I'm from Kitchener.

Lindsay: Rangers territory.

As Steph and Lindsay continued to chat, Julie piped up and asked Marc if she could speak with him in private. The pair walked into the chapel and through the sanctuary to the sacristy.

Marc: I remember you from Friday's orientation. You said that you felt church friendships were sort of fake. I take it there's something behind that belief.

Julie: I've developed a lack of trust in other people over the last three, four years, because of their motives to use me because of who I know and am related to.

Marc nodded, knowing the pain that Julie must feel from this and having had experience with others in his circle in the same position.

Marc: To me, it doesn't matter if you want to divulge who it is or not. For starters, you are not alone in dealing with this kind of thing. What matters is how you let it affect your identity. I'm guessing you didn't sign up for this "joy ride".

Julie: Not in the least. My sister was the one who decided that she was willing to deal with the public intrusions and expectations that came with marrying a professional baseball player. Granted, she didn't go looking for someone like him and his being from St. Louis kept the early stages of their courtship off the radar. Once it became public, all the baseball players at my high school wanted to be my friend, to date me, just so they could either check me off their scorecard of life or use me to get to him.

Marc: Let me give you three examples of people I know who also have these "accidents of birth" and how they have dealt with it. The first one was a high school classmate of mine. Her grandfather and great-uncle were mayors of the City of Milwaukee in the 1940s and 50s. By the time she was born, her grandfather had been out of office for twelve years, so she knew none of his political career, only his post-mayoral career as a writer, scholar, and public citizen. Coincidentally, Frank and his wife Agnes were members of Redeemer Lutheran Church near Marquette University and lifelong Lutherans. Anyways, Teri took advantage of what her family hath wrought to become an excellent student, but chose to chart her own path into accounting and finance rather than politics.

Marc took a drink from his bottle of Pepsi before presenting his second example.

Marc: The next one is a student-athlete here at Trinity. Her connection to fame is that her grandfather is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He retired after the 1967 season, some 30 years before she was born. The only reason she got caught up in this is because her family still lives in the general area where he played. After experiencing a lot of grief like you explained concerning your brush with greatness, she chose to leave the area to attend school here. Few if any of her teammates know her secret, and she enjoys the quiet life that Trinity affords her. My third example is one of our school's coaches. Her uncle was the inspiration for the creation of something called the Jonny Mac Fund, which finances research into childhood cancers and blood disorders and provides support for those battling those diseases.

Julie: I've heard of that by way of Max donating one of his Tigers jerseys to their Sports Auction through his relationship with Corey Knebel, who played with him in Detroit and then moved on to the Brewers.

Marc: Brett and his parents moved out to Portland in the early 1980s, ten years or so before she was born. Again, didn't ask for the connection, and she went about building her own resume of accomplishments, from being a college athlete to gaining her teaching license to being hired here. I think the only people at Trinity who know about this are myself, Coach Hawthorne, and Erin, because she shared it with her when my late wife was diagnosed with a brain tumor. 

Julie: My condolences.

Marc: Thank you. I guess the question is how do you want your brother-in-law's fame to influence how you live. You can either run a million miles away from it, or you can embrace it as part of you. Then there's the extreme side of embracing it, which you saw on Friday during our orientation session.

Julie: You're referring to your nephew, I take it.

Marc: Yes. He is smart as a whip, but has this knack for tooting his own horn even when it's out of tune.

Julie laughed at Marc's comment. "I'll keep that in mind."

Marc: My advice is to sit on your secret. Don't bandy it about, but don't deny it if someone happens to find out. Keep your friends close and those who want to use you at arm's length. The likelihood of you ending up on the spot here isn't that great. You don't share the same last name as your famous connection, you're 375 miles away from the area where it's best known, and you've got the best dang bunch of teammates imaginable.

Julie: That I do. Thanks for listening and for your advice and the stories of others.

Marc: Anytime you need an ear, holler!

Julie left the sacristy and went back to the fair. Marc stayed seated for a moment before heading back to the courtyard.

**********

After volleyball practice, Katelyn made a pass through the activities fair on her way back to Augsburg. Julie and Abby were manning the PMA's table and she stopped by for a couple of minutes.

Julie: Hi, Katelyn! How was practice?

Katelyn: Easier physically than the ones the past two weeks, but tougher mentally since we have only two practices left before our first matches of the season.

Julie: Where are you playing this weekend, and against who?

Katelyn: UW-Platteville, against them, St. Mary's of Minnesota, and Dubuque.

Abby: What sport do you play?

Katelyn: Volleyball.

Abby: Love the sport, but can't play it worth a lick. Freshman?

Katelyn: Yeah. Katelyn Rollins.

Abby: Abby Davidson. What's your major?

Katelyn: Social work. You?

Abby: Ditto. Guess I'll see you at some point in the Health Professions Building.

Katelyn: Guess so.

Katelyn continued on her walk, leaving Julie and Abby to talk.

Abby: What do you know about that cherub of a human?

Julie: Do I detect a slight bit of interest in Katelyn?

Abby: Maybe.....she looks so cuddly and non-threatening that I think I might have a chance with her.

Julie: I know about as much as you do now. Volleyball player, social work major. She's a PK and wants to follow Dad into the pulpit possibly. She lives a couple of doors down from us in Augsburg.

Abby: You know if she leans our way?

Julie: Haven't asked, so I don't know for sure.

Erin and Steph came past the table on their way to Augsburg from Siebert and stopped for a second.

Steph: How is your shift going?

Julie: Pretty good. Katelyn stopped by and proceeded to leave Abby a little wobbly in the knees.

Steph: Hmmmm. Very interesting. You play for us, then?

Abby: Aye. Not too open about it, though.

Erin: Well, the two of you would be a cute pairing, similar to Steph and I or Kristie and Alyssa.

Julie: Do we know if Katelyn is part of the tribe?

Steph: I can only guess, but I think so. When we were comparing our heights with that of our girlfriends, she said that she wasn't partnered-up at the moment.

Erin: When is she stopping by to try on the outfits you got from Dani?

Steph: Tonight at 8. Alyssa will join us after she and Brad finish take-down here. I can see if she'll be more forthcoming about that, but I won't put her on the spot.

Abby: Thanks in advance.

Erin and Steph said goodbye to their fellow peers and finished off their walk home.

**********

Katelyn stopped by Steph and Alyssa's room to check out the dresses they brought back from Dani's on Friday. After a bit of small talk, Steph pulled out the two options from the closet.

Steph: Dani thought both of these would look good on you, even with the slightly-shorter hemlines because they're not straight-lined and thus give the impression of looking longer.

Katelyn took a look at the first one and really liked its patterning (fuchsia fit-and-flare with a paisley pattern from mid-thigh to the hem), then tried it on.

Steph: Adorable, but the coloring might be too much. We had the same issue with Sam. Great fit, but it screamed against her palish complexion. Let's give the other one a test run.

While Katelyn was changing, Alyssa came in.

Alyssa: How did the first dress look?

Steph: Same problem as Sam had. Way too bright to pull off elegantly.

Katelyn had stepped into the second dress (teal shift with a ruffled hem) and the two goalkeepers gave her their opinions.

Steph: This one is definitely better. The color is more you, the bottom of the dress has that silhouette feel that hides to some extent the area above your knees, and it's more form-fitting through the torso without making your midsection look too pronounced.

Alyssa: I'd wear this if it were a little bit longer. My body is built pretty much like yours, except I'm about three inches shorter than you and thus my upper legs don't taper off above the knees as yours do.

Katelyn: I think it's cute, but maybe it would be better for an occasion where I'd be looking to attract attention. You guys did say Wednesday night is a bit of a meat market for the jocks, right?

Steph: Yes, and if you're not really looking to nab one then, you probably don't want to be drawing undesired come-ons from them.

Alyssa: That won't necessarily keep the Slick Ricks and Reginas at bay. Remember last year's Mixer where Kristie hit on me despite me not looking like I'd be in her league.

Steph: That's right. I forgot that was how you met.

Katelyn: So the girls can also be "forward" when it comes to seeking out companionship, even with one another? Don't remember seeing that around my school, even with a sizable Gay/Straight Alliance club. By the way, Steph, you and Erin seem to be the perfect couple. Both strong in the faith, damn well smitten with each other, and emotionally supportive of one another from what I've see the last week here. I hope to find a person who completes me the way it looks like she completes you.

Steph: That person is here somewhere, I'm sure. Sometimes you meet them early on, like Erin and I, and sometimes it takes a bit to come across him or her, as was the case with Cali and her boyfriend, Matt. She didn't cross paths with him until the end of January because she's a fall sport athlete and he was in marching band. Maybe you've met the person and don't know it yet. Worked out that way for Lindsey and Emily. Played against each other numerous times in high school before being set-up by their club coaches to travel here together for Pre-Orientation last summer.

Katelyn: I don't even know what I'm looking for at the moment. Didn't date in high school because I was too busy with volleyball, basketball, and soccer. The boys never gave me a look because I looked intimidating, and the girls I'm not sure knew how best to make a play on me. My roommate is looking to crack the athletic bubble, so maybe if I help her find a good woman it will open up the possibility that I can as well.

Steph and Alyssa exchanged a look, then nodded at each other and banked away Katelyn's confession. After getting back into her original outfit, Katelyn said that she wanted them to hold onto the teal dress if possible for another time and left to return to her room. Across the hall, Tori was doing an interview with Savannah and Emma focused on their high school playing days as teammates in both field hockey and lacrosse and the different choices they made to continue playing in college.

Savannah: I just felt that I had more natural talent in field hockey than lacrosse and that I'd be able to make more of an impact on the field in that sport than I would the other.

Emma: I always knew that lacrosse would be the sport I wanted to play in college, primarily because I wouldn't get beat-up so much in net as I did in field hockey. The reputation of the Concordia and Carthage programs also were a factor since I wanted to be part of a team that would be competitive.

There was a knock at the door and Emma went to answer it, then let Hayley in.

Tori (to Hayley): Have we met yet?

Hayley: Maybe, maybe not. I'm Hayley.

Tori extended her hand. "Tori. I was in the middle of an interview with Savannah and Emma about playing together growing up and now going their separate ways on the field at Trinity. Anything you'd like to know about this pair?"

Hayley: Actually, that's why I came over. I'd like to know how the two of you went from being classmates for a long time to becoming a couple. Was it gradual? Did one of you raise the stakes which caused the other to react?

Tori: I can shut the camera down if you don't want this to be part of what I post.

Emma: I'm OK with it being public. Savs?

Savannah: Me too. Maybe it will actually show others that love at first sight might make for great theater but it's a rarity compared to how we came to be.

Tori: Who wants to start?

Emma: Savannah and I have been classmates since second grade, when her moms enrolled her at University School. We hit it off well enough that first year and, due to us living fairly close to one another, spent time together over summer vacation. By the end of fourth grade, we were pretty much inseparable. Moving up to middle school the next fall, we stayed close while navigating the onset of that wonderful period in life, puberty. We saw each other go through the physical and emotional changes that came with it and were still side-by-side entering high school. Wanna take over, dear?

Savannah: Sure. Once we started high school, athletics became the way we kept our connection strong as we both went out for field hockey and lacrosse. The summer after freshman year, I knew that something was stirring at me about Emma, that I wanted more of her than the friendship we already had. Having two moms allowed me to know the feelings I had were not strange or weird or dare I say sinful. One night, she was staying over because we planned to do a hike through the Schlitz Audubon Center and Doctors Park early the next morning. We were up a bit late watching a movie and had curled up together under a blanket. A spark of insanity hit me and I kissed her on the cheek, wanting to see how she'd react. Emma looked over at me and played with my hair a little, then gave me a peck on the top of the head. I settled back into her embrace and we finished watching the movie before going to bed.

Emma: The next morning, while out on our hike, Savannah wandered off the trail slightly and slipped. I reached out my hand to pull her back up and my pull vaulted her into me. She wrapped her arms around me to stop her momentum and we stood there for a few seconds. After looking at each other, something like a magnet brought our lips together. When we returned to U-School for sophomore year, we were a couple and have been for three years now.

Hayley: So it just happened. No big moment where fireworks went off.

Savannah: Pretty much. A natural evolution that came from being along one another's side for several years already and realizing that there was another level of togetherness we wanted to reach with each other.

Emma: You thinking of making a play for Sam?

Hayley: I know that I want her. We've lived across the street from each other since she moved to the area in fourth grade and gone to school together since sixth. Steph Lafleur suggested rooming together here could help bring that transition along, but how do I initiate it?

Tori told Savannah and Emma that she was going back to her room to edit what had been recorded, with her revolving the piece around the story of their partnership. Once she had left, Savannah asked Hayley about the physical dimensions of her friendship with Sam, then suggested a similar tact to what she had done with Emma and seeing if her roommate responded positively to it. Hayley let the two of them know that Kristie had helped her already with picking an outfit for the Mixer (again, on the suggestion of Steph) and that she was hoping Sam would make a move based on that. Upon Hayley leaving, Emma turned onto her side and opened her arms for Savannah to curl into and they fell asleep quickly after that.


	17. I Feel Pretty

Practices for Wednesday were cancelled so Trinity's athletes could use the time to prepare for that evening's department event in Buuck Field House. Hayley and Sam were both getting ready and weren't paying much attention to one another. Sam was finished first and watched Hayley finish getting dressed, admiring the dress she chose (light pink strapless floor-length gown with silver heels).

Sam was somewhat speechless, but did find something to say to her roommate.

Sam: Dang! Thought your dress for prom was stunning, but this one beats that.

Hayley gave Sam a once-over herself before walking over to her and planting a friendly thank-you peck on her cheek. "That pantsuit looks so nice on you. Feminine, but not frilly, if that makes sense."

Sam got a bit shy and blushed a smidge, but thanked Hayley for the compliment and turned toward the mirror over her desk to apply her makeup. Hayley walked up behind her and decided to take a selfie with her, with their cheeks slightly touching. While Sam worked on her eyes and lips, Hayley sent a copy of the picture to Emma along with details of their comments upon seeing one another, including her peck on Sam's cheek. A couple of minutes later, she got a reply.

EmmaJillPreston: You two look great together. Hope you get the reaction you want. See you at Buuck.

When Sam had finished, she got up and turned to face Hayley, who was standing maybe 4 feet away from her.

Sam: Since moving in together last week, I've been thinking about our arrangement. I know you helped me sell my parents on letting me live on-campus, but I'm wondering if there was a reason you were interested in having me be your roommate.

Hayley: Comfort, for one. We've known each other since you and your family arrived from Down Under and I thought it would make the transition to college easier for both of us.

Hayley took a couple of steps toward Sam so they were face-to-face. "Also, I think I might like you."

Sam: I never thought you saw me in that way, mainly because I reckoned you'd want a more bubbly person than myself. I also wasn't sure you were, "one of us". Before we leave, I have a bit of a confession to make. I've been eyeing you for a while now and hoped that rooming together would help me determine if what I had been feeling was a crush or just horniness. I believe it has, and I'd like to talk to you more about it after we get back from the party.

Hayley and Sam left their room and walked down the hall toward the elevator, where they met Lindsey and Emily and Christen and Julie. Meanwhile, Erin and Cali were finishing up their preening.

Cali: How does this look? I want to make a good impression, but not draw the f***boys' attention. (burgundy sleeveless skater dress with a collar and matching 2" blocked-heeled Mary Janes)

Erin: I think it's fine. Not too slinky, not too frumpy. Matt would like it, but it also doesn't signal to the horndogs in the department that you're on the market.

Cali: Thanks. Your opinion means a lot. As for you, you look as cute as you did for the wedding in Carolina and I'm sure Steph will be awestruck as always. (royal blue skater dress with 3" block-heeled sandals)

Erin: Have you seen what Dani's planning to wear yet?

Cali: No, but I think Steph and Alyssa got a sneak preview when they were at her place on Friday.

The pair gave themselves one last look in the mirror before leaving their room to walk over to the Fieldhouse.

**********

Janine and Sabrina were at a loss for how to dress for the All-Sports Mixer and spent a lot of time digging through their closets for something that each of them thought would be suitable.

Sabrina: Is this outfit too drab? I don't dress up that often, so I don't have a lot of "nice but not too nice" dresses. (black cinched-waist midi with black flats)

Janine: It works. Not TOO fancy, but also not something you'd be wearing to the beach or a day at the mall. What's your opinion of this? (silver above-the-knee bodycon dress with black wedges)

Sabrina: Are you looking to fit in or stand out?

Janine: On one hand, I want to see if any cute boys bite. On the other, I don't want to be inundated with come-on lines and GQ smooth talk.

Sabrina: I think you can get away with what you've chosen, but just be on your guard a bit.

While leaving Tietjen, the tennis players ran into Danny and Steph McNamara and the four of them walked over to Buuck together.

**********

Marc was talking with Sarah and Jamie when Erin, Steph, and Cali arrived. They walked over to him and entered the conversation.

Marc: My three favorite athletes and all of you look stunning.

Steph: Dani had a dress that she said would show me off and make my lady swoon. It does and it did.

Sarah: Speaking of her, where is she?

Jamie: Probably went home after Lunch Bunch since practices were cancelled.

Cali: You're right, I'm sure. She's not one to be able to quickly switch from school day to night out in the locker room here.

Steph: It's also a good idea that she's not here yet because I'm sure our funny man will be at a loss for words most of the night after he sees her.

Marc (to Jamie): Your team ready for the trip to Platteville?

Jamie: Pretty much as ready as I can have them. Not putting HUGE expectations on the results since these are teams we don't play on a regular basis, unlike the three of them who are all somewhat close geographically.

Sarah: Your homily today, which I know was a repeat of Thursday's, stuck with me as I have some of those gnawing feelings of unforgiveness toward the men who have harmed Wil emotionally. How do you drop the desire for vengeance and come to the point where you realize it's their loss and possibly your gain?

Marc: They're not mutually exclusive thoughts nor is it A-to-B thinking. You can believe that you've landed a gem as a result of their stupidity and still want to light their juevos on fire.

The women cracked up at Marc's comment, which led Emily and Lindsey to wander over and find out what was so funny. Shortly after that, Dani came in and made her way to the small throng of lacrosse players and coaches.

Sarah: Steph, you're weren't lying when you said that Deuce was going to tie Marc's tongue.

Erin complimented Dani on her overall look, as did Jamie and the others, then Marc chimed in.

Marc: Good thing I'm single or I'd be guilty of breaking a few vows right now.

Dani sauntered over to Marc's side and, following a few seconds of back-and-forth glances and a quick scan of their circle, laid a peck on his cheek. "I wore it because: 1) You hadn't seen me in something like this yet; and 2) It provides good cover for, you know....."

Marc whispered into his lover's ear, "You should not have told me that last part. I'm going to have my head stuck on that now and I won't be able to satisfy my curiosity for a couple of hours."

Dani: It will be worth the wait, I promise you.

**********

Tori had been able to secure a small corner of the Fieldhouse to do some quick one-on-ones with various Trinity athletes. Her brother, Cameron, was brought along to man the camera and she set up her small interview area with some help from Katelyn. After Katelyn moved on to find the chaplain and his entourage, the two Abrams siblings discussed Tori's plan for the evening.

Cameron: Any thoughts on who you'd like to get on-camera?

Tori: Someone from each of the fall sports would be a good thing, I already have longer pieces done with Katelyn and with Savannah Stark from Field Hockey, so that's covered. Leaves men's and women's soccer, football, women's tennis, golf, and cross country.

Cameron: Some of those might be easy gets, some hard.

Hayley and Sam wandered over to makeshift interview area, where the former introduced her roommate to Tori. She did a quick two-on-one with them, asking about expectations for their first seasons at Trinity and how they manage their time being out-of-season at the moment. One of the defensive backs from the football team took a few moments to give the expectant YouTube viewers a preview of the season and to encourage everyone to come out to their home opener on Saturday against Finlandia. NEVER at a loss for words, Karina dropped the knowledge on Tori, who was then approached by Cali, Jordan, and Lexi.

Cali (to Tori): Finally, I get to meet the famous future sports broadcaster Tori Abrams.

Tori: I wouldn't necessarily call it future. If I'm lucky, some of these interviews will be picked up by Thunder Media. I want to get athletes from all the fall sports this evening.

Cali: Got one from women's soccer yet, because you have the team's starting front line right here? Girls, you game to giving Tori a few soundbites?

Lexi said yes, while Jordan needed a bit of encouragement from her and Cali to eventually agree.

Tori looked into the camera and, once Cameron signaled for her to start, began the interview.

Tori: I am standing here with three members of the women's soccer team. Would you give me your names, year, and what position you play?

Lexi: Lexi Millen, sophomore, forward.

Cali: Cali Farmer, also a sophomore and also a forward.

Jordan: Jordan Hubbard, freshman, and I'm a forward as well.

Tori: Ladies, the regular season starts this weekend. Who and where are you playing your opening match or matches?

Cali: We're going to be in St. Paul for a tournament at Macalester College. We play Grinnell on Friday and Coe College on Sunday. Next Wednesday is our home opener against North Park. Kickoff is 4pm at Niemoller Field.

Tori: Lexi, as a returning player, can you tell me how this year's team compares to last?

Lexi: For one, most of the roster now has a year of experience playing college soccer. We had I think 14 freshman on last year's team, the price of technically being a new school, so we should do better in the conference than last season, and maybe can get close to .500 for the year.

Tori: Being in your first year here, Jordan, has there been anything you've noticed that is different at this level than high school?

Jordan: The biggest thing is that the time commitment is so much greater. I'd also say that the competition level in practice is a lot higher.

Tori: Thank you for stopping by and giving the viewers a small glimpse of what women's soccer is doing at Trinity.

Tori thanked the three of them again off-camera, after which she and Cameron sat down to go over the first part of the evening.

Tori: So far, so good. Got football, women's soccer, cross country, even a hit with women's lacrosse.

Cameron had turned and watched Lexi move toward a group of male athletes, barely hearing what his sister said.

Tori: Umm, Cam, you still with me?

Cameron shook his head and returned to the here-and-now. "Yeah. Just got distracted for a second."

Tori: I bet. That Lexi Millen is ONE HOT WOMAN, and it looks like she doesn't have a lack of options around here for company.

Cameron: Yeah. So how does someone like me get into that circle, that world, when I'm not a jock? I've been meaning to stop by to see Deacon Schmidt to maybe get some advice on the matter.

Tori: That's a good idea. Another good one is to tag along with me for some of the games I plan to attend. You'll be in their arena and if I get on well with some of the players, the door might open for you to step forward. The three of us are going to crack the bubble, but it might take some time.

The two stood up and prepared for their next interview, this one with Tim Hollister from men's soccer.

**********

Shelley had been hanging out with Steph McNamara and Danny for a good portion of the night, looking around for a potential partner. As they made their way toward the refreshments table, Shelley caught a glance at someone who made her breath hitched slightly.

Shelley: Do either of you know who that FINE specimen of womanhood is over there?

Danny: She was in my freshman orientation group. Name is Kailen and she's on the cross-country team here.

Steph: Are you ready to finally move on from chasing our goalkeeper?

Shelley: If I can get THAT, most definitely!

Shelley and the other two started making their way toward where Kailen was, but were intercepted by Kristie and Sam who wanted to get a few moments of Steph and Danny's time. Left on her own, Shelley continued to walk toward Kailen's location, but another interruption in her path, this time Coach Hawthorne, caused her to lose track of the woman. She jotted herself a note to do a bit of Internet research in the hopes of finding a way to cross paths with the runner in the future.

**********

Back in their room, Hayley and Sam had sat down on their beds to have "the talk."

Sam: When did you first start feeling something for me beyond friendship?

Hayley: Probably beginning of February. After we had come to Recruit Day here, I reflected on the couples that were on the team and most of them had that underlying base of "chumminess" that was already existent between the two of us. I knew I couldn't really act upon what was stirring inside of me until we graduated, so I kept my feelings for you to myself. When I came up here for the Pride game and the clinic ahead of it, I asked the players about the advantages/disadvantages of commuting vs. living on-campus as an out athlete and the general feel of the program following the coaching change. Steph Lafleur answered my question, then asked me later about you and I. I told her the truth, that we were close friends but I wanted it to become more once we got to Trinity. So that's my story and that's why I was resolute about getting you to live here with me.

Sam: You know I love you like a sister and have for a long time. Around the start of last season, I came to the conclusion that that wasn't enough for me, that I wanted something else than being BFFs with you. Again, I didn't know if you were gay for sure, but I thought maybe you were. School rules made it impossible for us to do anything about this while at Brookfield Academy, but now that we're here, it's a possibility. So what's the next step?

Hayley: We let things progress as they will, no real rush to come to a conclusion since we'll be roommates through the middle of May. Can I come over there?

Sam: Be my guest.

Hayley moved from her bed to Sam's, then rested her head against her shoulder. Sam looked over at her and smiled.

Sam: You know you're cute when you're being cuddly?

Hayley: No, but thank you for the compliment. I've always liked curling up with you, be it on the team bus or at one of our houses watching TV. I feel safe in your embrace, like your strength allows me to just feel what I feel and to express it.

Sam laid a soft peck on Hayley's forehead and lied there thinking about what had been said tonight, with a slightly goofy grin coming across her lips.


	18. Football Crazy

The Trinity Lutheran women's soccer team gathered in the Buuck Athletic Center parking lot ahead of their trip to Macalester College in St.Paul, MN for the opening games of their 2019 season, facing Grinnell College today and Coe College on Sunday. Dani settled in at the front of the coach with Sara, then plugged in her earbuds to watch a couple of mid-week NWSL games to pass the time (Utah at Portland and Washington at Philadelphia). Around halftime of the first game, as the bus was approaching Madison and the exit for I-90/I-39 going north and west, she received a text from Steph.

StephLafleur: Look out the window.

Dani took a look out the window and saw Marc's car alongside the bus, with Erin waving at her and then Cali a few rows back.

DaniPDillon: You girls are weird, and that's why I love you. Ask Marc about dinner options for post-game. We're trying to round up a couple more to come to the Fair tomorrow. Plan is to stop in Eau Claire for lunch. Join us if you want.

A couple minutes later, Steph sent another message.

StephLafleur: From the boss. "Which exit are you looking at, just so we can get out from beside you and not have to follow the bus the whole 170-180 miles between here and there?"

Dani asked Sara where in Eau Claire they were planning to take their lunch stop, to which she said the first exit, since there were several eateries at that one, including Buffalo Wild Wings, Olive Garden, and Culver's.

DaniPDillon: The first one. Not sure where we will end up eating.

Erin responded back this time.

EDMatheson17: Pops says to text him when you guys pass Foster (Exit 81) with location. We'll camp out at BW-3's, then meet you wherever you end up. Noodles is also on that side of the road if you can talk Sara and/or the team into that.

DaniPDillon: Will do. Love to all of you. Catch ya in a bit.

Further back in the bus, Cali and Emily Bowman were chatting, while Jordan and Lexi napped in the row behind them.

Emily: Our first multi-day road trip as college athletes. Excited?

Cali: I am. Just want to get on the field and face someone in net OTHER THAN YOU!

Emily swats at her seatmate. "I'm not THAT bad, am I?"

Cali: You're stellar, which is why I'm looking forward to shooting on someone else!

Emily: Only thing I'm sort of not so excited about is the dead day tomorrow. Stuck around the hotel, probably, or at Macalester watching the men's games. *shrug*

Cali: Maybe you and some of the others can talk our driver and Sara into doing a trip to the Mall of America. I don't think it's that far from the hotel.

Cassie overheard the conversation taking place behind her and chimed in.

Cassie: The Mall is fun for the locals and LOTS of fun for the out-of-towners. That'd be a good option to get out of the hotel.Another one is the Minnesota State Fair, which runs through Labor Day. My boyfriend, my parents, and I are going to go tomorrow.

Cali: Erin and Steph are planning to go with Deacon Schmidt and his sister and her family.

Cassie: They're coming up for the tournament as well?

Cali: Yeah. They passed us not too long after we got onto I-90.

A car honked at the bus from its left side. Emily Sommer had her head out the window trying to scream something at the passengers, but no one paid her any attention.

**********

Just past Wisconsin Dells, Erin and Steph began quizzing Matt on his first week of school.

Steph: Rattle any cages this week, Romeo?

Matt: The professors love me because I do the reading, I ask good questions, and I'm not playing with my phone during lecture. As for the ladies, did some looking around at the Activities Fair but nothing too heavy on that front yet.

Erin: You know, if you need a little help in that department, Steph and I know a fair number of possible options for you. Saw some of them on Wednesday night at the All-Sports Mixer. Marc, got any opinions in that area?

Marc: I'll agree with Erin that there are some good choices at Trinity. Would pay for you to attend a few sporting events next week or the week after and see for yourself.

Matt: Might have to do that. Also seen a couple up on your floor that could be worth my time and effort.

Steph: Hmmm.....did you attempt to get their names or just gawk from afar?

Matt: I didn't want to go wandering around on your floor scoping.Just noticed that they were going up past 2 and stepped out of the stairwell at 3.

Erin: Well, Matt, a good portion of our floor is untouchable, because they are either with someone, don't play for your team, or are ones you don't want any piece of.

Matt: Maybe I'll get lucky tomorrow at the fair. Nothing wrong with setting up a hometown romance to come back to during breaks.

Marc: So long as you don't go that route and still try to play the field at Trinity.

Erin got a message on her phone from Cali asking about tomorrow's plans.

CaliFarmia: Who's all in for the Fair?

Erin (to Marc): Who do we have going to the Fair tomorrow?

Marc: Me, Dani, the three of you, Laurie, Will, Sam, Sarah, and Mike. That's who I know of for sure. Could be more if Laurie extended the invite wider or if you or Steph have spread the word. Not sure how we're going to navigate the transportation at this point, but we'll have a bit of time at the hotel before we head over to Macalester to brainstorm and contact people.

Erin replied to Cali with the information that Marc gave her. A few minutes passed before Cali replied.

CaliFarmia: Can I get in, and maybe a couple of my teammates as well?

EDMatheson17: Take it up with Marc when we get to the hotel. He's going to need to do some logistical work to get the ones already on the docket from the hotel to there.

CaliFarmia: I think the two Minnesota lacrosse players are on their way up there. One of them stuck her head out of the car window trying to get our attention earlier.

EDMatheson17: Had to be Emily in the passenger seat. Lindsey's not THAT crazy. I'll drop them a line and confirm their plans for the weekend.

Cali walked up and asked Dani if she could tag along with her at the Fair. She said that they can talk about it when out of earshot of the team.

**********

Prior to leaving their hotel for Macalester Stadium, Marc put together the list of those he knew were in for the Fair (Lindsey and Emily replied to Erin saying they planned to be there tomorrow), then contacted Laurie to find out who else would be joining them (her best friend Rebecca and her family, plus Sam and Matt's cousins Kelly and April). Cali and Dani stopped by Marc's room and told him that they were planning to invite Lexi, Jordan, and Cami and that Sara was taking a hand-selected group (Carli, Allie, Amber, and Emily) out on the town tomorrow evening. Marc rolled his eyes, thinking those women might be on the troll to spread the university's goodwill around the city, then returned his attention to tomorrow's logistics. He knew that shuttles ran from a number of points around the Twin Cities to the fairgrounds and searched the Internet for a list of them, coming up with a solution to the transportation quandary created by having one car for eight people.

Marc: We can pick up Route 3 just east of the hotel at the Union Depot and it will drop us off on the south side of the fairgrounds. Fare is $2.

Dani: That sounds pretty easy, and there's no space limit in that case. I'll throw it out to the team on the ride back from Macalester and see if I get any more bites. Cali, the reason I wanted to talk about this with you away from the others is because I'm going to be spending a good portion of my time tomorrow with Marc and his sister and brother-in-law as Laurie is interested in seeing us together and giving me a bit of a grilling beyond what I got surrounding Danielle's passing and services.

Cali: Totally get it, sis. Also guessing that Erin and Steph will also be on display a bit for Aunt Laurie. What are your plans, Matt?

Matt: With my best friend Andrew going with us tomorrow, I'm having him meet me at Macalester after his classes at Hamline and we'll head up to our homes for the evening.

Marc: He's still a scaredy cat or did he break out of that "you do it for me" mentality?

Matt: He's a bit better, but still shy and afraid of women. I wish I could transfer some of your and my skills to him.

Dani, Erin, and Steph: NO THANK YOU!

Erin: One of each of you is more than enough for any world. We don't need a Marc/Matt mash-up in this or any other universe.

Marc: Really?!?!

Dani: Really, bae.

Dani leaned over and pecked him on the cheek, which drew a little bit of whistling from the girls.

Matt: How do you do it?

Marc: I got skillz.

Dani and Cali told the others they had to go back to their rooms quickly before going with the team to the stadium. Marc walked them out and wished them both luck.

**********

In the stands at Macalester Stadium, the Schmidt clan (Marc, Laurie, Matt, Sam, Erin, and Steph) were prepared for their Thunder's first match of the 2019 women's soccer season. In the first match of the day, UW-River Falls picked up a 2-1 win over Coe College. Tonight's last match will feature the homestanding Scots facing North Central University. Marc was having his brain picked by Laurie and the lacrosse players over the competitiveness of the tournament field.

Steph: How do the six teams here match up overall, like who's the best of them, the worst, etc.?

Marc: I've been away from the college game for a couple of years, but I can offer you what I know from when I followed it more. Trinity's opponent today is a top-end team in the Midwest Conference, usually in the playoffs every year and getting the league's NCAA tournament berth on occasion. River Falls is lower-mid in the WIAC, while Coe is sort of the same in the American Rivers Conference. Macalester is an up-and-down team in the MIAC, some years contending for the title, other years scraping around .500. As for North Central, they are a bottom-of-the-table team in a not-so-competitive conference, the UMAC. Probably got the tournament invite so Macalester could guarantee two of the three games each day having nearby traveling fans.

Erin: In NACC lacrosse terms?

Marc: Grinnell would be Aurora, Trinity is Trinity, Coe is Benedictine, North Central is MSOE, Macalester is Edgewood, and River Falls is Concordia-Chicago.

Erin: I get it now.

As the starting lineup was announced, Steph and Erin whistled when Cali was introduced, then again when Dani was mentioned. Matt had his eyes planted on the Thunder's left forward and asked his fellow Trinitarians about her.

Matt: What do you know about that #13 over there?

Marc allowed Steph and Erin provide their opinions while he remained silent.

Erin: She nearly drove our man around the bend and off a bridge.

Laurie: Ahhhh....so she's the one who made up the allegation against Dani that almost made you take a leap onto the interstate.

Marc: Yep. I know or at least surmise some other things about her, but can't really divulge them since there's no full-on proof of her engaging in those activities.

Erin: I know she is trying to start this year off differently than the way last year went. Cali is working on getting past her distrust of her from the besmirching of her cousin, but it's been tough to forgive her for that.

Matt: One, is she straight? Two, is she off the market?

Steph: I'd presume so on the first based on what we know about her off-field pursuits, and I'm not sure about the second.

Grinnell took advantage of Trinity's overly offensive 3-4-3 to make foray after foray through the gap left by both central midfielders playing high. Goals in the 16th, 29th, and 37th minutes had the Pioneers staked to a 3-0 lead at halftime. Subtle changes on the field by the players allowed the Thunder to control the ball and game tempo better, but that final pass to the front line from either Carli or Allie was left wanting. Grinnell tacked on a goal in the 74th minute to finish off the scoring and open their campaign with a 4-0 win. After the match, Marc and the others waited for the team to make their way to the stands. He consoled Dani on the result while Erin talked with Cali and Steph swapped advice and insight with Emily Bowman. Andrew and Matt took off immediately after the game, as the latter wasn't ready yet to make his acquaintance with Lexi. Laurie and Sam joined Marc over by Dani and told her that they were looking forward to tomorrow and maybe getting some girl time with her, Rebecca, Sarah, Andrew's sister Stephanie, and Kelly and April. They then left to return to Blaine, with the soccer team loading onto the bus and Marc, Erin, and Steph following it back to Hyatt Place.

**********

On Marc's suggestion, Dani, Cali, and their second family went to Mickey's Diner for a late dinner and dessert. While eating, Dani replayed the match verbally and asked for insight from the others.

Dani: Game played out as I predicted,with us getting run over in the middle of the park by not having anyone back to slow down the other team.

Marc: Well, Grinnell is a pretty good squad that can make even the better teams in their conference look a bit silly at times. However, you're pretty much on the spot about not being able to stop them from moving up on your three backs. Why doesn't Sara play some kind of balance in the middle of the 4, pairing either Carli or Allie with a more defensive player?

Dani: She'd rather lose 5-4 than win 1-0 is my conclusion. The 25 minutes or so when Carli was playing in place of Jordan with Lexi and Cali up top was our best period of possession and we held them to only one shot.

Cali: If she wants to play this way, we NEED someone protecting the back three or we only go with two forwards and press the wings from deeper positions.

Steph: Sounds an awful lot like what our Sarah did when she realized we were getting gutted through the middle by playing only Jess back and having four on the front line. She modified it to play two deep and pull the wings back a bit.

Dani: That's pretty much a 3-5-2 or a 3-4-3 with the center mids in a triangle either natural or inverted. Either way, it would put at least one player back in front of the defensive trio and offer an additional layer of confrontation for their offense to navigate.

Erin: Having that spread-out second line behind the front two allowed us to keep teams pinned-in, leading to turnovers and quick scores. That's more the reason why we beat the stuffing out of our last three opponents than our being that much better than them.

Marc: Coe isn't going to be the level of challenge that Grinnell was. If you can find a way to use your midfield four in some combination to stall them out, the scoring chances should come. Jordan was a decent target today, but you could tell that she's a freshman with how she was physically moved about by their center backs.

Dani: I love the chemistry she and Lexi have that can translate into goals, but she needs to add some weight and strength to become a better threat up top.

Steph: Alyssa and I can help her in that area. I'm guessing I can cajole Sam Mueller and maybe the two volleyball giants to join us for lifting, and they're probably going to be better role models for her in that area than the two of us.

Dani: I'll pass the idea onto her.

When Erin and Steph had finished their banana split, the group left the diner and walked back to Hyatt Place. Cali went to her room and spent time with her roommates (Cami, Cassie, and Amber) while the two lacrosse players retired for the evening and enjoyed the alone time in one another's company. Dani followed Marc back to his and the pair cuddled for a while until Dani had to do bed checks on the team, after which she returned to her and Sara's room.


	19. The Great Minnesota Get-Together

Saturday in St. Paul started off well for Marc and his growing contingent of State Fair goers, as two more players from the women's soccer team (Taylor Simon and Robyn Gaines) chose to join them on this all-day excursion to the Great Minnesota Get-Together. Leaving the hotel at 9am, they caught the Route 3 around 9:20 and were at the grounds before 10am. Once inside, Marc messaged Laurie to find out where she and the others were located, while Erin checked in with Emily Sommer to get her and Lindsey's whereabouts.

The 24-person throng split up into several groups after gathering near the big Gopher statue on the south end of the grounds. Rebecca suggested that the older folks do a barn tour before settling into the business portion of today's festivities, then led the others to where it began. Marc liked doing these as it got the animal viewing, something Danielle loved but of which he wasn't a big fan, out of the way pretty quickly. After the tour, Laurie took the lead and they stopped at Sweet Martha's Cookie Stand, where she bought a bucket of chocolate chip cookies. The six of them grabbed a picnic table nearby and talked.

Laurie (to Marc and Dani): So, you two, how have things been going since I last saw you together?

Marc: About as good as can be expected. As I told you before you came down with Matt last week, Danielle's sister-in-law has been trying to contest her trust, but doesn't have standing to do so. Her heirs or potential heirs have 120 days to file a contest, which would have come to a close sometime this past week. If I don't hear anything to that end by the end of next week, I can reasonably guess that one wasn't filed and I can finish off everything related to probate in short order.

Becca: Why would she be seeking to contest it?

Marc: There are a few grounds that have been bandied about. One is that Danielle lacked the capacity to agree to the changes we made to it following her brain tumor diagnosis. Another is that not all assets were included in the trust, specifically delayed income from the Urban Coaching Project that I run in addition to my chaplaincy at Trinity and for which Dani now works in a limited capacity to supplement her coaching salary.

Laurie: And you also said that she could go fishing for evidence of infidelity prior to Danielle's passing to disqualify you as executor and do some kind of legal trick to have her legal marital standing prior to death be declared separated from you, thus changing the formula for distribution of her estate.

Marc: Yes, and that is the part which would make a contest a real mess. I have the documentation from her doctor that she would not have been incapacitated enough by the oral chemo to have lacked the legal ability to amend the trust. I also have minutes from my meeting with my lawyer and accountant for UCP that state the purposes of delaying the receipt of income from the business to August 1st, which coincided with the effective date of the new licensing agreements, and the restructuring of its ownership to give Erin a small stake in it and thus require her approval to liquidate or sell off any of its property.

Dani: This is why we haven't taken the next step on the relationship front, because that could be used in court to insinuate Marc and I had some underlying agreement to start seeing each other once Danielle passed,or that we already were.

Marc: I have in mind when I THINK we can make this official, but that all depends on getting past this possible challenge and completing probate.

Becca: From the pictures I saw of your trip to Boston, it doesn't look like you're necessarily hiding the fact that you're a couple from anyone, but also not giving away anything. Same goes for the picture that Erin (?) took of you two, her, and Steph.

Dani: When it's just the two of us, or the four of us, or when we're with certain friends, we don't deny the depth of our relationship, but we also are keeping it out of sight in other arenas, such as Trinity or when we attended the ELCA Churchwide Assembly last month.

Dennis: I've just met you, Danielle, and I can tell that you and Marc have this "connection". I saw it with my parents and a number of the elder couples in our community in Nigeria.

Laurie: I've told both of you already that I'm in favor of your relationship and hope things continue to go well. Can I get a quick report on my little nerd from his first week or so at Trinity?

Marc: He wasted little time in stirring the pot, referring to me as Uncle Marc when his orientation group visited the chapel last Friday. No need for it other than to try and make an impression on some of his fellow students.

Becca: I really wish Andrew had that level of oomph in him. Going to Hamline is definitely better for him than attending U of M, if only because it will force him to break out of his shell and do things on his own and for himself.

Dani: My cousin dealt with almost the reverse of that when she started at Trinity. Aunt Judy would be calling her multiple times a day making sure she went to class and ate and all that. It got to be too much and she eventually told her so.

Marc: I remember that story from when I addressed the students in Augsburg last fall about building community on-campus. At the time, I didn't know you were related, so she got my standard response about parents robbing their kids of learning self-sufficiency by being too involved in their lives while at school.

Dani: Which is what probably stirred her to speak up. Another place where your influence is underestimated.

Laurie: I REALLY want some of that to rub off on Matt, but I've also told Erin and Steph that they have the right to crack his knuckles if he gets out of line.

Marc: Which they both did on our trip up here yesterday, trying to deal with his Romeo complex.

Becca: I've got a question for you, Dani. How do you get along with Erin, and by association Steph?

Dani: It's interesting, Becca. Sometimes, it's like we're three sisters and Marc is the proud papa, while other times I'm the cool step-mom to the two of them. Erin and I didn't get off to the best start, but eventually found common ground through Steph and ultimately our love for Marc.

Sam and her posse of girls came up behind Laurie and Becca, then asked the pair if they would come with them to snoop around the grandstand in search of 5 Seconds Of Summer, the evening's headliner.

Laurie: Mom duty calls. I'll catch up with Erin and Steph later. Meanwhile, go have fun and be all cute and couple-like.

**********

Matt, Andrew, and Mike had been following the soccer women around for a fair portion of the morning and early afternoon before they ran into the lacrosse quartet of Erin, Steph, Lindsey, and Emily Sommer. Ever the jokester, Emily started the repartee with the boys.

Emily: Find anything you want to take home, Casanovas?

Mike: Unlike these clowns, I don't pursue, I let them come to me.

Lindsey: You'll be waiting a LONG time, then.

Matt: Isn't there some place the four of you are supposed to be, like the dunk tank?

Steph: Clever. Too bad the dis got lost somewhere between your brain and your mouth.

Mike laughed very hard at Matt's getting shut down by Steph. Erin spotted Marc and Dani walking in their direction and pulled her girlfriend away from adding more fuel to the fire. Marc threw a few bucks at the boys and told them to get moving at tracking down the girls who were with their moms. He also told Mike to get Stephanie something from 5 Seconds Of Summer since he knew his step-nephew had a bit of a thing for Andrew's sister.

After dispensing with the trio of testosterone-driven hucksters, Marc pointed his group toward the 1919 Root Beer Stand, just outside the Education building, extolling the wonderfulness of the Minnesota-brewed elixir.

Marc: This stuff is so much better than what you get in the supermarket or even what Sprecher makes back home.

Dani: I'll have to taste it to believe it, since Sprecher is my fave of the craft sodas.

Erin: My parents say the same thing about Oberon compared to Blue Moon and other beers of that type, but of course I have to wait a couple of years to find out for myself if it's true.

Marc purchased drinks for the four of them along with a jug for himself to take home. Although they all liked it, none of the others were as far over-the-moon with it as he was. They went into one of the food halls nearby and got lunch from the various vendors, with Dani taking a stab at Alligator-On-A-Stick and Erin giving the Wild Rice Burger a try.

**********

Mid-afternoon had most of the group spread out about the grounds. Marc and Dani were looking through the Northwoods portion of the fair, which featured Timber Sports, when they ran into her players. Cali told the others she was going to hang with her cousin and the chaplain and that they should go on ahead. Sensing this being a good opportunity to make amends and seek a fresh start with her coach and teammate, Lexi joined them and Marc. Once by the Timber Sports exhibit, Lexi turned to Cali and began speaking.

Lexi: I never did thank you for the invite to join you and your "family" today at the Fair.

Cali: You're welcome. I've noticed that you seem to have changed over the summer and I wanted to give you an option for today other than whatever Sara had in mind.

Lexi: I have. Ending up on academic probation woke me up, as did my boyfriend being a jackhole when it came to my time away from him. Listen, I need to apologize to you and Coach Dillon for what I did last year in accusing her of harassing me to cover up my illegal activities.

Cali: So you were, um, working for the athletic department in that one area that got your roommate in trouble?

Lexi: Yes. Carli turned me onto the big-time money I could make and the other benefits that came with being part of alumni relations. With Jordan at Trinity, I'm not susceptible to being lonely and seeking out friends like the players on our team who are in the business.

Cali: I spent a good portion of spring and summer hating you and wanting you to get your comeuppance for the damage you did to those around you with your lies. My cousin's reputation as a coach was harmed, but luckily she had someone on the inside who knew how to restore it quickly. You also caused a person dear to her and to our school as a whole to nearly take his own life when he couldn't resolve the case against her before finals started.

Lexi: Guess I have another apology to make in addition to the ones to you and Coach.

Cali: Yes, you do. As for my response to your request, while going through peer minister training before school started, Deacon Schmidt told us that everyone deserved a second chance, an opportunity to prove they've changed and that we as part of his office needed to forgive the wrongs that have occurred to us in order to provide that road to redemption to those in our midst. I've struggled with doing that with you, but Erin and I had a long talk about it since she also has issues with what you did to them. In the end, I did decide to forgive you for what was done and to give you a chance to chart a new course.

Lexi: Thank you, Cali. Now, I think I should go make things right with the other two. As for Erin, I'll reach out to her when we're back on campus since I want to do it without Steph around.

Cali offered her teammate a hug, which was accepted and reciprocated. While Lexi was talking to Dani and Marc about her desire for their forgiveness, Cali messaged Erin to see what her and Steph were doing. A minute later, she got a response.

EDMatheson17: We're with Aunt Laurie and her best friend, Becca. Where are you?

CaliFarmia: Over by Timber Sports with Dani, Marc, and Lexi.

EDMatheson17: LEXI?!?!

CaliFarmia: Yes. She apologized for last fall's crap and is now with Deuce and her man trying to make amends. She also said she'll do so with you once back at Trinity.

Erin shared the information with Steph, getting an eyebrow raise from her. In her next message, she suggested Cali meet up with the four of them at the Birthing Center so she could be included in their conversation about Dani, Marc, Matt, and Andrew. Cali caught up with her group and told Dani of her plans to meet up with Erin and Steph.

Dani: Laurie's friend Becca is cool. Maybe you can give her some advice on how to get a shy guy to open up a little, like Matt has done since you two have been together.

Cali told her that she would, then headed south toward the Birthing Center.

**********

Sara and her gang of gals (Carli, Allie, Emily, and Amber) were at The Liffey inside the Holiday Inn. Following dinner, the five of them talked about plans for the first weekend of work for them and who else they were interested in adding to their group.

Sara: Have the four of you received your schedules yet for next weekend?

Carli: I haven't.

Allie: Neither have I.

Emily and Amber also said that they hadn't been contacted about working the 6th and 7th yet.

Sara: Carli and Allie, I'm going to have the two of you pair up on Saturday night to answer some multi-partner requests. Are you comfortable with that, which might include the two of you needing to engage sexually with one another?

Carli: No problem for me, boss. You, Al?

Allie: No issue with it on my side either.

Sara: Good. As for Friday night, I'm giving each of you two assignments instead of the standard three because of the game against Stout on Saturday afternoon.

Emily: Who are picking up our third clients?

Sara: Got the basketball team's two big performers taking an additional one each, plus one from Acro and one from Softball.

Amber: Any plans to let some of the male athletes get a bit of play from the ladies?

Sara: When we start getting requests from women for our services, then we'll recruit guys to handle them.

Carli: Do we have any freshmen joining us next weekend?

Sara: I've contacted a handful of them about what we do and what they can get out of it. So far, only one has responded positively, with a couple asking to be removed from the mailing list and most not responding at all.

With the hour getting late, Coach Manning and her players returned to Hyatt Place to get sufficient rest for tomorrow's game against Coe College, scheduled for 11am.


	20. Teaming Up

Alarms went off on the fourth floor of Hyatt Place at 7am as the women's soccer team had an 11:00 match at Macalester against Coe College. Sara planned to make a couple of changes to the lineup she sent out on Friday against Grinnell, bringing in Dionne Powell and Makenna Doering for Cassie Kingston and Taylor Simon, respectively, hoping that their inclusion would produce a stronger back three and allow the Thunder to cheat up offensively on the right side of the field. Dani bit her tongue when she heard about the changes, believing that Dionne was foul-prone and the loss of defensive coverage from Taylor wasn't necessarily worth the added offensive thrust Makenna could provide.

**********

Up in his perch near the top of the stands, Marc scanned over the way Sara had her team aligned and wondered if there was any plan to shield the three center backs or possibly cheat one forward and pull back the outside players to go with four in front of Emily in goal. As the Kohawks kicked off, the Thunder's front seven attempted to press Coe with a high line, which stretched out their defensive shape. Several offensive attempts by Coe ended up drawing the assistant referee's flag for offside. Eventually, the Kohawks found a way through the Trinity midfield, which drew defender Erica Skidmore forward to shut off the attack. Amber and Dionne stepped up in tandem, but Cami got caught chasing Coe's right flank player, which kept the team's target forward onside and resulted in a breakaway on Emily which she couldn't stop. Not seeing a better offensive showing from her team than on Friday and following a bit of a late night for some of the players, Sara made a handful of changes following the goal, bringing in Amanda Hutton for Allie, Cassie for Amber, Raquel Rivera for Cami, and Maria Turco for Jordan. Amanda played in front of the back three, offering a slight bit of a road block for the Kohawks' Route 1 approach. Makenna and Raquel played level with Carli, which allowed Cali and Lexi to pinch in a bit on their sides of the field in the offensive third. With three minutes remaining in the first half, the Thunder won a corner kick. Raquel took it and sent in an out-swinger that was headed out by Coe's sweeper to Amanda, whose shot deflected off a couple of legs and landed at Lexi's feet. She made no mistake on her left-footed attempt, sending it back across the goalmouth into the far corner.

Carli was held out to start the second half, with Allie taking her place and the original starters returning to the field, which placed Amber at defensive midfield and left Dionne playing the center position on the back line as Cassie was kept in the match. The Thunder got off to a spirited start following halftime, rotating Makenna to the left side of the field (causing Cami to drop back alongside Cassie) and pulling Cali a slight bit off the front line, playing something closer to a 4-1-3-2 than the 3-4-3 or 4-3-3 they had run for the first 135 minutes of the season. The front five put sizable pressure on the Coe defensive foursome, which led to a cross from Cali finding Jordyn's head and being deposited into the net. Not content with a 2-1 lead, and feeling as though Carli would mope about if she wasn't brought back into the match, Sara pulled Cassie for Carli, then had Amber drop back alongside Dionne. In need of a substitution on the right side of the front line, Makenna moved over to that post and Cali was pulled off in favor of Meg Pierce, with Cami coming out for Raquel. The decision not to ride out the remaining time with defensive reinforcements cost Trinity, as their front seven got sucked up too far on attack, leaving a huge gap to their back three that Coe exploited on the counter. Dionne took an ill-advised stab at the ball only for the Kohawk forward to round her and break into the penalty area. Determined to break up the play and prevent a shot, Dionne tackled her opponent from behind, resulting in a penalty kick awarded and a yellow card shown to the freshman defender. Although Emily had done well in training on Thursday with spot kicks, she still operated from a "pick one side and commit" mentality to defending them. The Kohawks' Jocelyn Gilbert stepped up to the spot and placed the ball down, then took up her starting position to shoot. Emily dove to her right but was made to look foolish as the shot was sent to her left. The match ended 2-2, bringing the weekend trip to the Twin Cities to a close with a record of 0-1-1.

The team and their entourage left St. Paul immediately after the game, wanting to be back in Mequon that night. Dani and Marc texted a bit as Steph drove, with Erin interjecting some insights from her viewpoint of the match.

**********

Driving back to Trinity on Monday afternoon from the former's parents' place in New London, Jessie and Becca talked about their approaches to the coming year.

Jessie: I did really well last year with my studies and I know I shouldn't presume that will continue as I move along in my math courses and the eventual business classes for my major, but I can't help but think that I have this college thing sort of under control.

Becca: That's great to hear, Jess! Grades were good for me as well, but I wasn't taking courses so different than what I had done my last year in Ottawa. As for lacrosse, I am high enough on the depth chart going into preseason that I stand a good chance of being in the first XII for the opener against St. Norbert. I'm probably competing with Emily for the spot next to Julie in the back line and with Morgan for the second d-mid position alongside Sam Mueller.

Jessie: Sounds like you're heading into this year in good shape. Any change to your dating status over the summer?

Becca: No, because I was waiting to come back to Trinity to do something about it.

Jessie: Oh, really? Someone at school caught your eye?

Becca: Yes, and I don't think she even realizes it.

Jessie wondered to whom Becca was referring, but knowing that there might be a slight bit of competition caused her to edge forward a bit in sharing her opinion with her roommate.

Jessie: I'm not sure how someone wouldn't realize that you were into them. Your friendliness is disarming and, based on what I've heard from my two sidegirls, you have a pretty dirty mind. If I wasn't so tied-up with getting through my first two years with no distractions or competing interests for my time, I might be sort of interested in you as a girlfriend.

Becca: See, this is something that I don't get. We live together, we spend a good amount of time together in and out of the room as it is. What's in the way of us seeing each other?

Jessie was stumped, as Becca shot down her biggest excuse for not pursuing a relationship with her. After a couple of minutes mulling over the blonde's response, she expressed what she was thinking.

Jessie: The car probably isn't the best place for us to have this discussion. When we get back to campus, let's go out to the bluff and continue discussing what we both might seem to be thinking.

The rest of the drive to campus was fairly quiet as both women thought about what they would say when the opportunity came. Once home, they dropped off their bags, then walked out to the amphitheater and descended the stairs to the makeshift chancel along the lake. Becca sat down on the ledge, with Jessie taking up residence alongside her.

Jessie: You caught me a bit off-guard with your questioning my pushing off looking for someone, because I didn't think you'd be offering yourself as an option. I guess I'm just shy about what a relationship with you could entail. Would it be all physical, or emotional as well?

Becca: Which one of those options worries you?

Jessie: The physical, I get in parts from Steph and Erin, but adding feelings to that, I guess I don't know if I'm ready to share that part of me with someone yet.

Becca reached over and took Jessie's hand in hers. "Last season, I got to see a variety of relationship structures within the confines of my own team. Some, like Lauren and Kelley, are based on a balance of physical intimacy which reinforces the emotional connection they have. Others, like Lindsey and Emily, seem to the outsider to be two girls having a good time with little underlying commitment. Then there are the poster children for how to be a couple, Erin and Steph. The heartfelt commitment is there, the emotional underpinnings for a potential lifetime together exist, which allows them to just let what happens happen. No pretense, no hiding it. Besides, I probably know more about you than anyone else at Trinity at this point."

Jessie squeezed Becca's hand for support before responding.

Jessie: I'm going to have a hard time spelling out what is going on inside my mind, so be patient with me. When I'm with those two together, I can see the love on display, like the birthday surprise we sprung on Erin. I envy what they have and wonder about finding that for myself at some point. To me, that's the purest form of a relationship I've seen in my somewhat-sheltered 19 years. I WANT that, but the amount of time it would take to develop what they have with someone, I'm not willing at the moment to spend on it. Understand?

Becca: I'm still not getting your reluctance. The time it would take for us to "see" each other would be no different than the time we spend together now. We already invest time in building our friendship, so doing that to build a partnership wouldn't be much of a change.

Jessie: True.......I guess, I don't know how to BE in a relationship. Doing something with those two, I'm not exposing any of my warts or flaws. With you, it'd be different. The risk I'd be taking to share with you my fears, my imperfections, I'm not sure I want to do that.

Becca hemmed and hawed for a bit before laying down her declaration. "I guess I'll have to put the ball in your court by telling you about how I feel. I've been thinking about asking you to date me since before I left for the summer. Nothing has changed in my mind in the four months or so since then. I've seen who you are and want to learn more. Give me a chance, Jess."

Jessie looked over at Becca and pecked her cheek. "OK, I'll give you a chance."

Becca wrapped an arm around Jessie and kissed her on the side of the head. "Head back up?"

Jessie: Yeah.

As the pair climbed the stairs up the amphitheater, they saw Hayley and Sam walking toward them. After a short exchange of greetings, the two couples went their separate ways. After getting down to the rock wall which separated the bluff from the beach and Lake Michigan, Sam stepped over it and held out her hand to help Hayley over it. As the two of them looked out at the lake, Sam came up behind Hayley and wrapped her arms over her shoulders, resting her hands on the shorter woman's sternum.

Sam: Have you thought about what you want to do for your birthday?

Hayley: Well......it will be the first one that we're able to celebrate away from the 'rents. I'd like to go out with you on Saturday night. That way, we can both celebrate ours as yours comes up a few days after that.

Sam: Guess that settled. You want to choose the place or should I?

Hayley: I'll pick Erin and Kristie's brains for places around here that would be good choices.

Sam: Parents bugging you yet about coming home to visit?

Hayley: They did wonder why I chose to stay on campus for the extended weekend, but understood when I told them that I wanted to spend the time up here without the stressors of school. I didn't tell them the biggest reason was to have three, four days of uninterrupted time with you.

Sam: I heard the second degree from Mom about staying up here, so I guess I'll need to pay a visit sometime soon.

Hayley turned and sunk into Sam's embrace, then looked into her eyes and smiled. The slightly-taller woman slowly moved her head toward the other and was met almost halfway by her lips. They pulled back after the initial contact, then kissed each other again before walking back toward Augsburg.


	21. Have Faith

When Marc arrived home from Trinity on Tuesday afternoon, he pulled out the contents of his mailbox that had been sitting since Friday morning. As he flipped through the ad papers and vestment catalogs, he saw an envelope addressed to him from the Clerk of Circuit Court for Milwaukee County. He opened it and nearly cursed up a storm after reading the pages enclosed. His brother-in-law, Roger Wolff, had filed a challenge to the execution and validity of Danielle's trust on the grounds that he failed to perform his fiduciary duty as executor to disclose all real and tangible assets available to her heirs or potential heirs. Marc was given ten business days to respond to the court, after which a hearing date would be set.

**********

Marc: Last week, I spoke about the need for forgiveness from the perspective of the aggrieved. Today, I move to the other side of that equation, addressing forgiveness from the point of view of the person who seeks it. Without forgiving one's self and asking for forgiveness from others, the individual is bound to their previous actions and remains defined by them. I've used "City Slickers" in past homilies to demonstrate Biblical truths and I'm going to cue it up again to explain the power of self-forgiveness and the freedom which comes from being unshackled from one's past.

Marc pressed the start button on his remote to bring the overhead projector to life.

Ed Furillo (to Mitch): You OK?

Mitch Robbins: Yeah.

[Mitch and Ed go into the tent to check on Phil]

Mitch: Phil?

Phil Berquist: Yeah?

Ed: We were a little worried about you back there.

Phil: Ah.

[Phil sits down on the stool, Ed and Mitch kneel down in front of him, as he holds the gun, looking down]

Mitch: Why don't you give me the gun, Phil?

Phil: Ah, it's OK, I know how to handle a gun.

[Phil begins to unload the gun by pushing the bullets out of the cylinder]

Phil: You know being a store manager, you have to be there pretty early in the morning to receive the trucks. You have to be sure the register totals match the receiving records... and all the stock is put in the proper place, it's a very... responsible job.

[Mitch looks to Phil and watches as he unloads the gun nervously. Phil hands it to Mitch when it is completely unloaded, grinning nervously]

Phil: Ah, CHRIST!

[Phil begins to sob, and buries his head on Mitch's shoulder]

Mitch: Hey Phil, come on Philly... It's OK man, it's not that bad...

Phil: My life is over! I'm almost 40 years old, and I'm at the end of my life!

Mitch: Phil, hey.

[Mitch raises Phil up so he is looking at him]

Mitch: You remember when we were kids, and we were playing ball, and we hit the ball over the fence out of bounds, and we yelled, DO OVER?

Ed: Yeah!

Mitch: Your life is a do over. You've got a clean slate.

Phil: I got no place to live. And I'm gonna get wiped out in the divorce because I committed adultery. So, I may never see my kids again. I'm alone. How's that slate look now?

The scene was paused and Marc returned to his remarks.

Marc: Here, Phil lays out his troubles for the other two and what he is thinking as they come near the end of their vacation and the return to the reality of his life draws closer. Mitch brings up the idea that Phil still has a chance to move on from the incident referenced in the start of the film, which was his having sex with one of his subordinates, to craft a way forward that might lead to a better future than he had resigned himself to. After sleeping on it and the guys finishing the cattle drive, Phil came to the conclusion that he first needed to accept the possibility he mentioned at the end of the scene I showed, forgive himself for his error and the consequences of it, then begin to dig himself out of the hole and seek out that "do-over", that second chance to create his best life. Two things over the past week have brought this concept to light in my own life. On Saturday, a person who had caused me significant harm in the past year asked for me to forgive her for the collateral damage her conduct had inflicted on me. I was able to give her that "second chance" because I had already forgiven her for the incident and thus moved on from it binding me. Yesterday, I received a notice in the mail from the Clerk of Circuit Court informing me that my brother-in-law had decided to contest my wife's trust because he felt I had not declared the entirety of her assets to her heirs or potential heirs. I'm having a bit of a hard time finding the grace to allow the process to go forward and for him and his wife to see the error of this challenge, wanting nothing more than to take this case before a judge and put the two of them on trial. I feel as though I am being tied to my past by their opening the door to a further investigation of my and Danielle's marriage and not being given the ability to write a new chapter in the story of my life, sort of what Phil went through. A handful of special people have supported me in the 4-plus months since her passing and I am truly grateful for them. So what's my point? The ability to institute a "do over" comes from first recognizing your part in life going off the rails, forgiving YOURSELF for it, then seeking to cut the shackles that tie you to it through the request of others' forgiveness. People you probably haven't met yet might have skeletons in their closets that restrain their ability to accept your first impression of them as something other than what they've previously done. Be patient with them, as self-forgiveness is the first step to cleaning the slate and embracing the second chance in front of them. Amen.

Weekly worship went on with the Prayers of the People and the Passing of the Peace. Right before Communion was distributed, Marc made a comment about the elements.

Marc: Instead of breaking the bread during the Words of Institution, I chose to break a communion wafer in order to tell this anecdote about faith that has been attributed to a former seminary professor of my colleague at Western Michigan. He said that it takes more faith to believe the wafer is bread than it does to believe the bread is the Body of Christ.

Erin suppressed a giggle while standing next to Marc, while Corey bit his lip so as not to laugh on his other side. Following Communion, Marc gave the Benediction and the closing hymn, "We Are Called", was played.

**********

A better-than-average Lunch Bunch gathering peppered Marc about getting past the residual hurt that others' actions have left.

Cali: As I know what your first example was, how were you able to let the person "off-the-hook" after what you went through at the time and the damage it inflicted?

Marc: I mentioned in a story last semester about a student here who had been molested by someone yet chose not to seek out a pound of flesh from her based on the actual harm done to her and the potential harm the other person could experience if she did. That was the basis for me to "let it go", that I had not suffered any serious damage because of it, nor did the person who had been harmed the worst in the situation, and that she would end up being harmed herself if I had hung onto the self-righteousness of seeking her repentance.

Jamie: Is taking that tact easier to do with someone who's not emotionally connected to you?

Marc: Yes, which is why I have been a bit more heavy-handed dealing with Matt's slip-ups so far. People closest to you have the potential to hurt you the worst because they are more likely to know the buttons to push and where you're the weakest. In his case, his need to "get over" with persons of interest at Trinity means he will make reference to his connection to me in arenas and at times when it's not necessary. I have a difficult time of letting that happen without mocking him or calling him out for it. We got into a bit of a row over it when he accused me of spreading his dirty laundry to my inner circle, denying him the ability to operate here with a clean slate and no pre-judgment from others.

Erin: So why didn't he give Steph and I the what-for?

Marc: One, because he enjoys the attention you give him, even if it's the equivalent of sibling rivalry. Two, he believes he'll need you down the road and doesn't want you to hate him so much that you influence me against watching out for him.

Dani: Are you ready for your first step onto the athletic stage this year?

Marc: I'm ready, and unlike last year I will NOT freeze up if a certain someone decides to act in an unexpected manner.

Dani and Erin both responded with curious looks, leading to Cali and Steph nodding.

Alyssa: Since I haven't seen most of you since last Wednesday, a quick update on managing Kristie's redeveloped friendship with Steph McNamara. The three of us along with Sam and Steph's roommate Danny went to Kopp's on Sunday night to break up the on-campus monotony of the holiday weekend. Everyone seemed to get on well, and I noticed Steph having more than a slight gleam in her eye when looking at Danny.

Erin: Someone might want to re-direct our firebrand because that won't end up well.

Alyssa: You know something the rest of us don't?

Erin: During FMK on opening night of orientation, one of our teammates nudged the notion of that combination and was told by her "not my circus".

Alyssa nodded and knew she'd have to inform Kristie of that. With most of the group having 2:00 classes and Dani and Jamie needing to return to Buuck ahead of the women's soccer game, those gathered moved onto their next tasks. While Marc was walking back to Luther, Cameron Abrams asked if he could spare a few minutes for him. Once inside his office, the two sat down at his desk.

Marc: What's up, Cameron?

Cameron: How does someone from outside the athletic bubble break into it, or draw someone out from it?

Marc: The first part is harder than the second, because the label of "fanboys" and "puckbunnies" sometimes gets attached to those who deliberately seek out athletes. Also, trust is harder to build when the other person might be wary of your true intentions. It's not impossible, but you need to know how best to go about the pursuit. Did Tori have any success with getting her videos from this past week picked up by Thunder Media?

Cameron: They liked what they saw, but none of the content was particularly what they were seeking for the campus TV channel. She does have field access for today's women's soccer game against North Park and will be filming it with a slight bit of commentary plus post-game interviews. They've told her to take her footage and pare it down to a 3-minute highlight package, which hopefully will be aired. Nonetheless, the program director said he would personally review the video and provide feedback. The YouTube channel has been doing well with hit numbers, but none of the videos up has a viral following.

Marc nodded at Cameron, not understanding some of what he said but pretending he did. "Back to your question and my train of thought. If she can latch onto a gig with Thunder Media, it will give you a chance to be in the arena and assess student-athletes you might be interested in."

Cameron: I've attended all three services you've held thus far and I think your humor is a great thing to see in the pulpit. I haven't decided what I want to do with my life yet, but maybe entertainment, like screenwriting or behind-the-camera work, might be one way to go.

Marc: You have plenty of time. Too often, students come in believing they have to know on Day One what to major in and then stick to it through graduation and walk away with both a less-satisfactory education and a degree that they won't use. I went from secondary education to political science to sport management all before doing the work that led to my seminary degree.

Cameron: About the ladies....

Marc: Use your classes, or on-campus clubs, or chapel even as the forum to meet the athletes rather than the sports field. It provides a different means of interaction, one where the person's guard is a little less up and you get to see beneath her athletic veneer. Also, a little advice that my future sort-of-daughter-in-law gave my nephew when it came to dating, slightly changed to deal with the circumstances we've been discussing. Landing a female athlete shouldn't be your aim, but rather becoming the right person that one would seek if she were to look outside the bubble.

Cameron: Well, this chat has definitely been helpful. You coming to the game?

Marc: Yes, as I have to give the invocation during the pregame introductions.

Cameron thanked Marc and left his office, followed not too long after by Deacon Schmidt.


	22. Third Time's The Charm

The stands at Niemoller Field were somewhat full for the Thunder women's soccer team's home opener of the 2019 season against the North Park Vikings. At field level, Marc said hi to a few of the players and gave a couple some words of encouragement. He then walked down to the north end of the field, where Tori had staked out a position for her and her camera.

Marc: Heard from your brother that Thunder Media is interested in using your stuff if you can give them something compelling.

Tori: Yeah. Hearing that the stuff I thought was crackin' from Orientation and the All-Sports Mixer didn't line up with what they want was fairly discouraging.

Marc: First time out in any venue, it's hard to know exactly what the expectations are. What didn't they like about the pieces you did?

Tori: Content wasn't exciting enough to hold the viewer's attention. The sports soundbites weren't short enough for them to be pieced into newscasts. Then, there are my longer interviews, which in their mind don't have a place within their schedule to be run in their entirety.

Marc: I reviewed the one you did with me and found it to be a solid piece for use on your channel and the university website. I watched the one with Katelyn to get a bit of background on her before our initial pre-candidacy meeting and felt it was well-done. Pitch the bigger interviews to a broader audience. Develop your own series on public access or through the athletic department where your interviews can be run. Good luck with today's filming. Cameron also said that you were planning to do a bit of commentary alongside it. That will be a task if you're able to balance the two.

Tori: Thanks, Chaplain.

Marc returned to the center line, from where he would be called upon to give the invocation. After player introductions, he progressed out to the center of the field and was joined by all 20 Trinity players and the two coaches. As he requested all to bow their heads, Dani slipped her hand into Marc's and wove her fingers through his. Once finished, the two squeezed in unison and the field was cleared of all non-players.

Sara again sent out a different first XI from that of the previous game, starting Makenna and Meg in place of Jordan and Cali with Lexi taking up the center forward position. The more industrious front line created chances almost from the start and were rewarded with a handful of set pieces inside the first 15 minutes. On a free kick about 25 yards out from goal, Carli delivered a blistering shot that nipped he crossbar and went over. On the ensuing goal kick, Allie collected the ball and dribbled her way past one of the center backs, then chipped it over the onrushing goalkeeper, giving Trinity a 1-0 lead. The rest of the half consisted of North Park maintaining possession without significant purpose and the teams ended the first 45 minutes with the Thunder still leading by one.

North Park began the second half with more determination in an effort to level the score. Sara's inability to leave well enough alone bit the team again, as her insertion of Jordan for Cami, with Makenna sliding back into the midfield, destabilized the team's defensive structure and the Vikings were able to capitalize on it through a 3 v 3 attack once the ball had cleared Carli and Allie around the center circle. A stroke of clarity came to the team's head coach midway through the stanza and she brought Kim Libby in for Allie and Cali for Taylor Simon, moving Meg back to the midfield. As time began to run down, the need for another set of fresh legs was evident, resulting in Raquel replacing Makenna. A poorly-struck cross from a Viking midfielder was collected by Emily, whose throw-out to Meg was carried close to 40 yards down the right sideline before she passed the ball to Carli, whose one-touch switch to Raquel was trapped then dribbled past North Park's right back before the ball was crossed into the penalty area. Her strike carried past the goalmouth and was corralled by Cali just outside the box on the right side. She controlled the ball and forced her opponent to make a lunging stab at it, then slid a hard pass past the penalty spot that Kim couldn't reach and Jordan dummied before Lexi sent it goalward, finding the back of the net. The Vikings feverishly attempted to get that goal back, but Carli and Raquel retreated and stood guard in front of Erica and Amber, with Cassie moving wide left and Meg dropping into the right back position. The double-pivot in front of the back line stopped a couple of promising attacks by the visitors and helped the Thunder see out the match, getting their first win of the season by a score of 2-1.

**********

A group of fans waited for the team outside the south gate of Niemoller Field for the victors to exit and make their way to Buuck Athletic Center and their locker room. Cameron and Billy had caught up with Tori, who was waiting to get an interview with Lexi and others involved in the game-winning play. Erin and Steph hovered nearby in anticipation of congratulating Dani and Cali, while Becca and Jessie, Hayley and Sam Keller, and Emma and Savannah Stark stood on the edge of the crowd. Kristie walked over to them with Alyssa, Sam Mueller, and Danny and inquired about what they were seeing. Marc, Sarah, and Jamie were talking shop away from the crowd around the exit while waiting for the stream of players to come down the sidewalk.

The first players out were Meg, Kim, and Erica, followed by Emily, Raquel, and Makenna. Cali was next, tailed by Lexi and Jordan. Tori called to the three of them, who came over to where she was. Cameron took the camera from his sister and, once the four of them were together, gave her the signal that he was recording.

Tori: The Trinity Lutheran women's soccer team defeated North Park 2-1 this afternoon in front of a semi-packed house at Niemoller Field. I am here with three key players on the Thunder's winning tally, the goalscorer Lexi Millen and her front line mates Cali Farmer and Jordan Hubbard. The goal looked to be a slight comedy of errors in that the initial cross from Raquel Rivera was severely over-hit and almost went out of bounds on the opposite side of the field. Walk us through from when you recovered it, Cali.

While Cali was giving an explanation of her part in the score, Kim had snuck into the interview.

Tori: I see we now have somewhat of a missing link in the chain of the goal. Kim Libby, Cali said she had sent the hard diagonal pass through the box hoping for a deflection or a one-time strike, but you let it go through when you looked to be in position to hit it. Why?

Kim Libby: Her pass was a little too quick for me to get there with anything but a sliding toe poke, so I let it run onto Jordan.

Tori: Now, Jordan, you stepped over the ball rather than strike it. Same question, why?

Jordan: I was slightly ahead of where I wanted to be to shoot, but saw that Lexi would be in the perfect spot to score from if I dummied it.

Tori: Lexi, your teammates have given their parts of the story, now it's your turn. When you saw the ball being left to come to you, any thoughts other than "put it in"?

Lexi: Not really. There was a somewhat similar play in our game against Coe on Sunday where Amanda's shot deflected off a couple of players and landed at my feet. At that point, it's just instinct and doing your best with the opportunity in front of you.

Tori: Thanks, ladies.

The four Thunder players were thanked by Tori for stopping to talk to her. Carli, Sara, Allie, and Dani were the last ones out of Niemoller, with Sara taking a couple of minutes to recap for Tori the ups-and-downs of the game and how her substitutions played a vital role in picking up the win.

**********

A mash-up of female student-athletes gathered in Siebert for dinner after the game.

Erin (to Cali): Did you get credited with an assist on Lexi's goal? It didn't look like anyone touched it between you and her.

Cali: Probably will be listed in the box score as unassisted. Could be changed after the fact, but I'm not that concerned about it.

Amber: That'd be two assists in two games, girl!

Cali: But Lexi has two GOALS in two games and we've gotten a draw and a win out of them.

Danny: Does anyone know who runs the camera for Tori when she does interviews? He's sort of cute in a gawky kind of way.

Katelyn: It was probably Cameron, her slightly younger brother.

Emma: Was it Cameron, because I thought I saw him elsewhere in the fan group?

Katelyn: Could have been Billy, her other slightly younger brother, but Cam did the recording for the All-Sports Mixer so I'm guessing it was him.

Danny: I know she's a freshman. The other two as well?

Katelyn: Yes. The boys are twins, so I can see how it can be confusing.

Alyssa: Very. Emily, I thought you did fairly well in goal today. Need to be quicker off your line if your coach insists on playing three at the back since there WILL be breakdowns.

Emily: Thanks for the tip. I take it you played goal at some point.

Alyssa: Yes. Had the choice of either following my twin sister to Oshkosh to keep playing soccer or sticking with hockey and coming here. You see which one I chose. At least I get to wear a mask. We have a bit of a GK Union around campus if you're not aware.

Emily: Interesting. I will guess it involves sports other than soccer as well.

Steph: It does. There's Alyssa from hockey, Katelyn and Alanna from volleyball, Emma and I from lacrosse. We work out together sometimes, shop together since we're all "goalie-shaped" and have trouble finding fashionable clothes that fit, and hang out when our various sport and class schedules allow it.

Emily: I'll have to keep that in mind.

Lexi sat back and took in the conversations going on around her. Jordan, seeing her roommate deep in thought, inquired about what was on her mind.

Jordan: Earth to Lexi. Come in?

Lexi: I'm here. Just a bit distracted.

Jordan: Why?

Lexi: The success I'm starting to have on the field has me wondering about how I'll handle the eventual attention certain people on campus might want to throw my way, including Gavin and Sara trying to get me back into the business. Last weekend on the road trip, I felt like I was a normal student-athlete for once. Not tired half the time because I was up most of the night working, not trying to hide my activities from others. I even got to clean the slate with some people who I had wronged as a result of that. Part of it I know is because of you, but part of it is seeing what I can have in my life by NOT wasting my weekends on my back.

Jordan: Do I detect a slight bit of excitement in being free of that burden?

Lexi: Yes. There's also somebody that I think has taken a bit of a shine to me and I don't really want it getting around what I had been doing last year.

Jordan: So Lexi is single and ready to mingle......

Lexi: Single, yes. I don't know about the other part right now. I'm enjoying my being free of Sergio and I'm not sure I want to give that up just yet.

Jordan: Whenever you do, I'm sure there won't be a lack of suitors.

Tori, Billy, and Cameron passed the athletes' table and stopped for a second as Tori talked to Erin, Steph, and Alyssa about doing an interview with her on the subject of balancing classes, their sports, and their roles within the chaplain's office. The two boys took in those gathered, with Billy impatiently waiting for his sister to finish up her business and Cameron looking around so he doesn't get caught staring too long at any of the women in front of him. Once Tori had completed lining up future work for herself, the three Abrams siblings left Siebert.

Kristie: Danny......which one of the boys were you sweating over?

Danny: Seeing them next to each other, I don't really know. How do I go about finding out?

Kristie: Let me run some ideas by Alyssa, OK? She's a twin as you know and must have dozens of stories of mistaken identity and how easy or not-so-easy it is to distinguish between the two of them.

Dinner being long-done and the dining hall staff wanting to clean up and go home, the athletes returned their trays to the conveyor belt and headed back to their dorms.


	23. On The Town

The first "normal" weekend of the school year began with a large number of student-athletes heading off-campus for dinner. Down in Whitefish Bay, Lauren and Kelley, Emma and Savannah, and Hayley and Sam went to Roman Candle Pizza. Savannah and Emma, having already gotten a bit of the history of Hayley's friendship with Sam from her, inquired about the last week or so and if anything had transpired.

Emma (to Hayley): When you stopped by my and Savannah's room to ask about how we got from A to B, I asked if you were looking to get with Sam and you mentioned plans to entice her at the All-Sports Mixer. Anything happen?

Hayley: Kind of. We both sort of knocked each other out and said as much, then had a talk afterward about what was going through our heads and hearts. The weekend was normal roomie/pal stuff until Monday night, when we went for a walk down to the beach and discussed plans for our birthdays. Mine was yesterday and hers is on Tuesday. Anyways, we agreed to go out together tomorrow night, the two of us, so we could celebrate both of them at the same time.

Savannah: Awwww. That's sweet. So no fireworks, just the "we like one another, let's see if this has wheels" conclusion?

Sam: Umm, there were fireworks, at least a little bit.

Lauren: Do tell.

Sam: Well, the beach thing started with me standing behind Hayley and my arms over her shoulders. She eventually turned into me. I looked down at her and, well, the two of us moved our heads toward one another and kissed. I think I was a little surprised that she responded before I finished my approach. After pulling away from one another, we exchanged another one, the type you give to your love at random times of the day.

Kelley: Are you or aren't you a couple?

Hayley: I'd say we are. Sammy?

Sam: I'd say we are as well.

A round of cheers went up around the table. Lauren and Kelley were then put on the spot to explain how they came together, with Lauren explaining their closet time during Truth or Dare followed by the lacrosse team's Date Night the following evening.

After the six of them had finished dinner, they walked along Silver Spring Drive taking in the little shops and restaurants. While passing The Bay Restaurant, Savannah noticed Kailen Short from the Cross-Country team in front of her. She sped up to catch her and say hi.

Savannah: Kailen! How's practice? School?

Kailen: It's going. We have a meet tomorrow against MSOE and Lakeland at Veterans Park on the lakefront. Savannah, this is my great-aunt, Anita, the one I'm living with while attending Trinity.

Savannah extended her hand to the older woman, who shook it. The lacrosse players came up behind her, after which she introduced them to everyone.

Anita Zimmer: Are all of you athletes at TLU?

Lauren: Yes. All of us except Savannah are on the women's lacrosse team. She plays field hockey.

Anita: Ah. Sports that were nowhere near being available when I was in school. Pleased to meet all of you and I wish you the best on your studies and athletic pursuits.

Kailen and Anita walked the short distance home while the other Trinity athletes continued on to Emma's SUV for the return trip to campus.

**********

The Tosa Three (Christen, Sofia, and Vanessa) along with Julie had dinner at Jose's Blue Sombrero in the Tosa Village. After their meal, the foursome stopped at Baskin-Robbins for dessert and gossiped a bit about the new athletes on the lacrosse team.

Christen: Emma's dating her roommate, I think Sam Keller is as well, Sarah, Julie, Brooke, and Katie are unattached I believe, and Danny is rumored to be on Steph McNamara's radar.

Julie: I'm not sure that last one is going to happen. Danny seems to have her eye on at least one of Tori's brothers.

Vanessa: That could be BAD if Steph were to presume she is one of us and she isn't.

Julie: Alyssa and Kristie are supposedly working on how to get the news aired without it causing a huge fight between her and Danny.

Christen: It'd be good if they can resolve that sooner rather than later, as getting my moody strike partner back in the pool quickly will be to everyone's benefit.

Julie: Scuttlebutt from the tennis players in Tietjen is that their hall is going to be hosting a dance for Homecoming on October 5th.

Vanessa: You know who would know if it's true?

Christen and Julie: Marc!

Christen: If it's happening, they've probably asked him to MC it or DJ it or whatever he does. He did the Sock Hop for Valentine's Day and hosted a Dancing With The Stars competition at Churchwide Assembly. I can just imagine what kind of tricks he'll pull.

Once all four had finished their treats, they left B/R and loaded into Vanessa's car to go back to Trinity.

**********

Alyssa took Kristie, Erin, and Steph to her corner of the world for dinner at Flipside Cafe and Grill in Grafton. Besides serving traditional lunch and dinner fare, the restaurant also offers All Day Breakfast, something which Alyssa very much liked.

Steph: Lyss, what's good on the menu?

Alyssa: Any of the benedicts or egg skillets.

Kristie: What about dinner food, dear?

Alyssa: I never come here for that, so I don't really know.

Erin and Kristie asked their server for suggestions from the dinner menu, while the goalkeepers went for the meat-and-eggs meals from the breakfast menu. Once alone again, they got down to working out an intervention for Steph and Danny.

Erin: Danny is straight, which means we need to get that out into the open so Steph doesn't completely flub up and try to woo her.

Kristie: We saw her eyeing the Abrams twins after the soccer game on Wednesday night and she wasn't necessarily sure which one of them she was sweating over.

Steph: So some fact-finding on the boys might be useful. Think we can draft our goofy cousin to do some work for us, Erin?

Erin: Can't hurt to ask. You know he'd LOVE to feel useful and appreciated, especially by members of the opposite sex.

Alyssa: You serious about having Matt help us out?

Erin: What other guy do you know that can probably sidle up to Billy and get him to drop some info about who he's looking at?

Alyssa: As much as he's proven to be a thorn in everyone's side so far, this might be a time when we can sic the thorn on someone else.

Kristie: What's the skinny on Tori?

Steph: Best way to find out is through Katelyn, her roommate. Alyssa, Sam, or I can handle that when we get the Big Girls together again. You thinking to pique the Hood's interest with her?

Kristie: She seems as determined and bulldogish as Steph, but without the crusty edge that can scare someone off.

Alyssa: She's supposed to be doing an interview with Steph, Erin, and I about juggling school, sports, and chaplaincy next week sometime, so we could also feel her out then about how she plays.

Erin: I'll also get Mr. "I Know Everybody" to cough up what he might know regarding all of them.

Steph: Good to know low people in high places.

Alyssa and Erin both swatted Steph over her characterization of Marc as they got ready to head to the register and pay the bill. While in the area, they stopped at Meijer to pick up munchies and soda for late-night studying and bull sessions.

**********

After dropping off her car at his place and both of them changing, Marc and Dani went to Smoke Shack at the Mayfair Collection in Wauwatosa. On the drive over, they chatted about their weekend plans.

Dani: Why did you ask me out for tonight?

Marc: We hadn't been out, just the two of us, since before Churchwide. First it was the Assembly, then Irish Fest, then the rest weekend before the cook-out, then the trip to Minnesota. We had some private time in all that, but not a date date. I didn't want to wait until your birthday for us to have one, because I enjoy spoiling you and being out with you.

Dani reached over and touched Marc's hand. "I am flattered by your generosity, but you know you don't have to do some of what you do. You've already won me."

Marc kissed her hand and squeezed it gently. "I know I don't HAVE to do it. I WANT to do it, because you deserve to be treated like the princess you are, my love."

Dani: What are your sports plans for tomorrow and Sunday?

Marc: I have to do my bit before the field hockey game at Schreiber tomorrow as I did for your game on Wednesday, then will watch the first half or so before coming over to Niemoller for your game against Stout. Sunday, I'll probably stay home and enjoy my Sabbath.

Dani: I get the need to just have a day to rest. The last few weeks have been nothing but go go go for you and I know that you're susceptible to attacks when you do too much. You making the trip to Minnesota to support me and my team last weekend more than makes up for you not going down to Beloit for Sunday's game.

Marc pulled the car into the Mayfair Collection lot and took a parking spot near Smoke Shack. After being seated and ordering, he opened up to Dani about dealing with Roger's contest of Danielle's trust.

Marc: I'm not understanding the basis of Roger's challenge. He's not claiming that the provisions of the trust were unfair or that certain heirs should not have been chosen by her or given as much by her as they were. The grounds of the challenge are that her estate is larger than what I claimed it to be upon her death.

Dani: What do you have to do now?

Marc: I have ten business days to respond to the challenge with my cursory defense against his claim. I plan to spell out the facts of the trust and what I have done since her passing to liquidate and distribute the proceeds of her estate. I was hoping to cut the checks to the kids the beginning of October so they could replenish their checking accounts following the first month of school.

Dani: What would this do to UCP or the Institute?

Marc: Hopefully nothing as those were not considered jointly-owned or jointly-held organizations. The two biggest issues I think are the income I postponed receiving from the signed agreements and giving Erin 10% of the "company". I am planning to have our financial adviser, who is Roger and Danielle's cousin's husband, Kathy, and Amber as part of my side's presentation should this go to a hearing.

Dani: And the alternate theories you think might be presented?

Marc: Bryan can attest to his evaluation of Danielle when we met with him to update the trust, that she was of sound mind and understood what her assets were and to whom she was planning to bequeath them. As for the other theory, I don't know how they would find evidence outside of anecdotal to prove any sort of relationship beyond professional. Guess I should spell out in my response that Roger should be limited to proving the grounds he's presented in the contest document.

Dani could see in Marc's demeanor that something else was on his mind on top of this dilemma. "Does this effect 'us', and if so how?"

Marc: Again, it forces me to keep our relationship out of the public eye. It doesn't change in my mind what I'm planning to do, but it means I need to be sort of careful with how I do things while this hangs over my head.

Dani: Still aiming for the wedding for our coming-out?

Marc: The wedding or the holiday party, depending on the campus mood. Either way, I plan to book us together if we decide to do USC 2020 in Baltimore and come the start of Spring semester, we'll be officially a couple around Trinity, God willing.

Dani: Well, I have a small surprise for you when we get back to your place, since I'm guessing you didn't ask me to spend the night just so we could travel together up to Trinity tomorrow for the two sporting events on-campus.

Marc was intrigued by what she insinuated and hurriedly paid the check before he and Dani departed to return to his place.


	24. Shiny, Happy People

Marc was awoken from his slumber on Saturday morning by a naughty nymph sliding up under the covers from the other end of the bed. She stopped when she reached the object of her desire and proceeded to have some fun with it.

Marc: Really?! I know sometimes you're a bit insatiable, but getting after me before I have a slash? If you're not careful, you might get something of a different color coming out.

Dani got the point and released Marc from her grasp. He got up, went to take care of his bladder, and then returned to bed.

Dani: I forget sometimes that you're on the older side so nature's calling tends to be the first order of business in the morning. And no, I would NOT have liked a shot of piss without the vinegar to greet my taste buds!

Marc: Thought I'd warn you before things got too far.

Dani: How was last night for you?

Marc: Wonderful as always. You look fantastic in red and even tastier out of it.

Dani pecked her lover's cheek and whispered, "I have a couple of other pieces that go with the bra and panty you saw. Maybe I'll wear the whole thing for you sometime soon."

Marc felt his tadger spasm a little at the thought she put into his head. Dani felt it touch her leg and gave it a little rub. "Looks like he's fond of that idea."

As the pair cuddled before getting out of bed, Marc mentioned being asked to host Tietjen Hall's Homecoming Dance.

Dani: So another Marcy-Marc moment at Trinity.

Marc: I'm really excited about this because the theme is 80s Prom, which coincides with the years I was in high school. I'm already mentally playing around with the song list of what classic tunes from that decade to play. I might even ask Boy Wonder to assist me.

Dani: I hope you have a flame-retardant suit for that night.

Marc: He's a good kid, really. He just needs someone to channel his aggressiveness into something positive. I don't know if that's me, or a classmate, or a professor, or a love interest.

Dani: What about the girls?

Marc: That situation is more likely to end up with him wearing the two of them out. I don't know how much either of them has dealt with a Type-A person with narc tendencies. Letting him use the "good" things about it while keeping him in line when he goes too far is the proper balance. It took someone very special to do that for me, as others tried to either quash it or fight it.

Dani: Having gone through the turmoil of being friends with Kristy taught me what someone like her can do to a person, but also how to protect myself from it by having a bigger circle of friends. I'd like to think I brought that knowledge to our friendship and whatever we are now.

Marc: I could spend all day here with you, but we both have to go to work, if you will.

Dani sighed, then kissed Marc teasingly on the lips and got up. Following their showers and dressing, they left for Trinity and the day to come. On the drive, Dani told him that her aunt and uncle were coming to see today's game and that she, Cali, and them would probably get together afterwards. Marc nodded and asked if anyone besides Cali and Angela knew about them, to which she answered no.

**********

The home opener for the women's field hockey team was nearing its start at Schreiber Stadium, with the Thunder taking on Lake Forest College. Marc made the rounds, talking with the head coach, Jill Logan, about her impressions of the team and expectations for the match, then saying hello to Savannah and Kelli. Following the invocation, Marc left the field and watched the first half from the railing alongside the east side of the stadium. Up in the stands, Erin, Steph, and Emma were chatting about the rules of field hockey and how different they were from ice hockey and lacrosse. Matt found Marc along the rail and the two made plans for dinner at BD's Mongolian BBQ following the women's soccer game. Matt then climbed up into the stands and sat down next to Erin.

Matt: How are my favorite Trinity athletes today?

Erin: Just swell, Boy Wonder. Surprised you can even face us after the shot you took from Steph last weekend.

Matt: I knew she was just cracking my junk because I had the boys with me.

Steph: That wasn't an act. Seriously, keep your bravado in check before someone gets hurt by it.

Matt turned his attention to the field and commented briefly on some of the players. His eyes eventually turned to Savannah, who he thought would be a fine acquisition.

Matt: Either of you know much about #9?

Erin wondered how to needle Matt over his inquiry, then decided to give him most of the truth and allow Emma to strike the death blow.

Erin: She's a freshman pre-law major. Lives on our floor with the woman on our right, Emma. She's from Bayside, which is 4-5 miles immediately south of here.

Matt: Pre-law, you say. Might be something to pursue.....

Steph: Careful, son. You've said not one word to her, so you don't know if she's attached or not.

Matt: I can outdo any guy on this campus when it comes to winning a girl. Besides, I have the slickest player in the game as an ace in the hole.

Erin: What about the gals?

Matt: Seriously?!?! No WAY she plays for your team, cuz. Her roommate might, but definitely not her.

Steph was stifling a chuckle while Erin shook her head. Emma looked at the two of them, then at Matt, and saw her opening.

Emma: Her roommate does, and she does, too.

Matt had a sheepish look come across his face before he responded. "I wouldn't suppose that you two are just roommates?"

Emma: No. We are partners as well. Been together three years already, known each other 11. Careful what you assume.

Steph: Don't feel bad, Matt. Not everyone is as obvious in their orientation as others.

Erin looked at Steph and the two of them knew how best to help get Matt's jaw off the ground.

Erin: Steph and I have a little assignment for you, if you're willing to accept it. Two of our teammates are living together, and one is mentally chasing the other, but the other doesn't go that way and has her eye on someone else. We need you to help us find out what his impression is of her so we can stop the potential fireworks that could come if the interested roomie makes a move. The two of us would really appreciate it.

Matt: What would I get out of it?

Steph: You've been talking about getting on with someone in the upper reaches of the university, like an athlete. We can get you front-and-center with some since this little situation involves two other teammates of ours and my roommate, who plays on the ice hockey team.

Matt thought over the possibility of making his way into the good graces of his uncle's two biggest student influencers and getting somewhere without needing his help.

Matt: I'm in. Point me in the right direction.

Erin: I'm thinking we'll run into his twin brother/roommate at the soccer game, so we'll get you guys acquainted and let you take it from there.

The score at halftime was Trinity 2 Lake Forest 0, at which point Marc moved over to Niemoller to watch pregame warm-ups before the women's soccer team's match against UW-Stout.

**********

Following the field hockey game (Trinity won, 4-1), Erin, Steph, and Matt went over to the soccer game, arriving a few minutes before kickoff. Tori was filming the game and was planning to do some in-stands interviews during halftime. Both Cameron and Billy had joined their big sister (Tori was born 8 minutes before Billy and 13 minutes before Cameron) at the game, which would make Steph and Erin's job of introducing Matt to them a lot easier. The three of them found Marc in the stands with Michelle and Dawson, who were talking to Judy and Steve Farmer, Cali's parents. Judy gave Erin a hug and asked how living with her daughter had been their first three weeks on campus.

Erin: She's a little bit of a neat freak, but it's manageable.

Judy: Gets it from me, no doubt. I think her living with you will work out well. You're more conscientious and thus will be on her to take care of herself and her business around here.

Marc: You'd have more success having her cousin do it than Erin, since she's as independent as they come and is sometimes preoccupied with one of the women who lives next door to them.

Judy: How do you know so much about Cali's roommate?

Marc: I'm her godfather.

Steve: Which is how you came to draft Cali for your office's endeavors.

Marc: Doesn't hurt that she has a fairly good understanding of Lutheran theology, albeit from a more conservative point of view. What do you and Judy think of Matt Benning?

Steve: I haven't met him that often, but from what I know he seems like a nice guy, someone with the stability to balance our daughter's mile-a-minute schedule.

The first half was a quagmire of errors from both sides. Carli and Allie were not at the top of their games today following the extra-long sessions with their clients last night. Amber was slightly better, but also dragging a bit. Emily looked fine and was able to make a couple of difficult saves. The Thunder and Blue Devils entered halftime knotted at zeroes.

While the two teams were refueling and going over changes for the second half, Tori and Cameron went through the stands and interviewed some of the fans.

Tori: Can I get your names and how you're connected to the program?

Mike Millen: I'm Michael Millen, this is my wife Pam, and we're the parents of Lexi Millen.

Tori: She has had a good start to the season, with two goals in the first three games. It looks like her on-field connection with Jordan Hubbard, who if I remember correctly played with her at Oak Creek, has helped make her more dangerous in attack. Any truth to that?

Pam Millen: I think their rooming together has had more to do with her better play. Her roommate last year was in a spring sport, so the two of them were sort of on opposite schedules and had different groups of friends.

Tori: Think we get a goal out of her in the second half?

Mike: Sure hope so. The Thunder have the ability to win this game, but the midfield needs to do better with maintaining possession.

Tori thanked the Millens, then moved onto Judy and Steve.

Judy: I'm Judy Farmer and my husband Steve and I have a pair of connections to the program.

Tori: One would have to be Cali. Who's the other?

Judy: Danielle Dillon, the assistant coach, is our niece.

Tori: So Cali and Coach Dillon are cousins?

Steve: Yep.

Tori: That's a bit of an oddity. You must be proud of both of them and how this season has started.

Judy and Steve both offered accolades for the two of them and were hopeful that the team could pull off a second straight win.

Tori: We're now with Deacon Marc Schmidt, Trinity's chaplain and former managing director of Milwaukee University Soccer Collective. How would you assess the first half?

Marc: Stout has put up a good fight. Their back five have been able to make things difficult for the Thunder's front three and center midfielders. Trinity, on the other hand, has been passive at times with possession, hoping to dissect the Blue Devils' defense rather than gut it.

Tori: Things you'd change in the second half?

Marc: Carli Lowe and Allie Lerner do not have their A-games going today, so I'd look to bring in a couple of the midfielders we saw in previous games that provide more of a balance of offense and defense. I'd also consider rotating the front line to wear down Stout's defenders, the way North Carolina does with their 3-4-3.

Tori: Thank you, Deacon.

The second forty-five was played at a slightly quicker pace. The halftime changes made by Sara (Amanda for Allie, Kim for Carli, and Makenna for Taylor) produced a couple of scoring chances in the first several minutes of the stanza. With the Blue Devils' back line staggering slightly, Sara removed Jordan, replacing her with Meg and moving Lexi centrally. A goal kick from Emily sailed past midfield and was allowed to bounce by both Stout center backs. Cali cut behind them and brought the ball under control with her chest as she and the sphere advanced on goal. Stout's goalkeeper came rushing out and attempted to steal the ball off of Cali's foot to no avail. She made a small pass to her left to an on-rushing Meg, who put the ball into the net. The stands exploded with delight as the players congregated around the corner flag on the far side in celebration. At the 75-minute mark, Sara brought Allie and Carli back into the match, replacing Meg and Makenna, moving the Thunder into a 4-4-2 with a box midfield. The unbalanced approach to managing the midfield (four central players with only one having wing defending ability) along with the lack of significant height on the front line allowed the Blue Devils to make sideline advances on Trinity and pepper the box with crosses, one of which turned into a shross and went over Emily's head into the upper far corner of the net. As overtime commenced, Sara returned to her first XI, but realized early on in the first 10-minute period that Carli would be no longer useful, replacing her with Maria. A corner kick from Taylor swung outward and connected with the head of the 5'11" attacking midfielder, whose first touch of the match bounded over the hands of the Blue Devil netminder to win the game for the Thunder.

Following the on-field mob scene and the eventual handshake line, Tori (with Cam in tow) caught up with Maria for a post-game interview, followed by one with Cali. Erin and Steph introduced Matt to Billy and then left the two guys to chat. Marc, Judy, and Steve waited for Cali and Dani to exit the field, then congratulated them before they went to Buuck to clean up and then leave campus. Marc found Matt in the mass of humanity outside Niemoller and the pair departed for dinner and a man-to-man sit-down.


	25. On The Spot

Dani, Cali, and her parents went to Libby Montana near campus following the game. The four of them had a good conversation across a number of topics concerning school, soccer, and life away from the field.

Steve: You got the win today, but it looked like the team was struggling for most of the game to connect anything or to bring any sort of spunk to the match. Bad day or is this sort of a common occurrence?

Dani: Maybe a combination of both. This was the first home game weekend for the team and so some of them might have prioritized having a good time last night over getting proper rest. Cali, how late were you, Matt, Ali, and Corey out?

Cali: We went to Highland House for dinner, so we walked over instead of driving the two minutes across the bridge. Spent a little time with Matt afterwards and was back to my room around 9:30, asleep by 11.

Dani: So 14 hours before game time. Others I'm sure were out much later. We had this problem last year as well with home Saturdays, that certain players would arrive to our pregame meal in various stages of alertness, but Sara would still play some of them significant minutes and never questioned what was happening on Friday nights.

Judy: That seems irresponsible on her part. Is it that she doesn't really want to know what happens?

Dani: That's a toughie, because some of us associated with the athletic department and other departments on campus have a suspicion but don't want to bring it to the higher-ups without some proof. Do you remember hearing about the stings around Bayshore last fall and the one downtown during Churchwide Assembly last month?

Judy: Yes. Prostitution and drug-dealing if I remember right. Do you think some of your players are caught up in that racket?

Cali: Not just think, more or less know. Some did it for a little bit and have now stopped, but a few on the team are still in the game and have even recruited others from our team and others to participate.

Steve: Which would explain why they would be so tired and have trouble on the field.

Dani: Precisely. I'm expecting a couple of them to possibly be left behind for tomorrow's game because they won't be able to answer the bell. I'm working with Deacon Schmidt to bring an end to this, since he handles student-athlete misconduct cases at Trinity, and he's collaborating with the ELCA's Chief Financial Officer to figure out how the money is coming in, where it's going, and how badly the whole thing violates NCAA rules.

Judy: Speaking of the chaplain, he seemed to know an awful lot about Cali's roommate Erin and the two of you. He said that he was Erin's godfather and that you, Danielle, would have a better time keeping your cousin in line at school than her. Anything you want to share?

Dani and Cali exchanged a look with each other, then another before the older of the two responded. "Marc used to run the summer league soccer team I played for while I was at Stritch, so that's how the two of us originally met. As for me keeping better tabs on Cali, that's probably true because Erin and her girlfriend, Steph, will probably have their hands full keeping Marc's nephew out of trouble. Besides, you know that I'm dating the women's lacrosse coach, right?"

Steve: That's right. Any plans for your birthday yet?

Dani: Go out with friends and their SO's on Saturday night, celebrate with the family on Sunday, and maybe something just Sarah and I or Michelle and I on Monday night.

Cali knew Dani's Monday night plans were a lie since Erin had told her of Marc's big plan to commit to her when they go out on the 23rd. They looked at each other once again and confirmed silently their agreement of how to handle this situation.

**********

Over dinner at BD's Mongolian BBQ, Marc gave Matt some fatherly advice on how to make best emulate what he has accomplished at Trinity.

Marc: Matt, the reports I keep getting from others about your conduct are, frankly, disturbing. You can't bulldoze your way through people, or puff out your chest the first time you meet them. Using your charisma, your confidence, your being self-assured needs to come in doses and over time. Let people see the good Matt, the smart Matt, the funny Matt first.

Matt: But that will take forever and I'll lose out on the best catches on campus.

Marc: I'm going to give you advice I gave Erin last fall when she came to me worried about "winning" Steph. You don't have to be the first to get her, just the last. Finding the love of your life is a marathon, not a sprint. You don't get any extra points at the altar based on when in your spouse's evolution you showed up. It looks like you're getting your puppy stupids out of the way, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. In my experience, women have a bit of a metamorphosis between their second and third years of college, after they answer the question "who am I?" and move onto "where do I fit?". Nothing good tends to start before then, and a lot of bad mistakes occur when you stay in neutral as life speeds past you.

Matt: So I should just back off, hit-and-quit a bit, then get serious?

Marc: I wouldn't say hit-and-quit. Just don't put too much stock in renting the hall for you and the first person you come across.

Matt: I know I shouldn't ask this, because you don't want me using your influence or knowledge to cut corners, but can you at least point me toward some possibilities based on what you know about people here?

Marc: Remember, I DID say I'd help you avoid landmines that could jump up and bite you, which is what your request would seem to be. I remember you asking Erin and Steph on the way to the Cities last weekend about the options on their floor and they said a lot of them were untouchable. I can fill in some blanks for you if you'd like.

Matt: I got a small education this morning at the field hockey game concerning two of them.

Marc: Emma and Savannah, I'd guess. Yep, they're a couple.

Matt: One of Cali's teammates has been on my mind this week. Blonde, wears #13. I asked about her at the Grinnell game and no one was overly forthcoming with info.

Marc: I think she'd be a great catch, but you have to be perhaps more cautious with pursuing her than others as your connection to me might actually be a hindrance instead of a boost. Her roommate, the tall and lanky forward in the middle most of the time, she might be your speed for a first college girlfriend.

Matt: Seriously...she doesn't seem to be my type. Sorry.

Marc: Hey, there are plenty of fish in that sea. You just need the right bait.

Matt: Erin and Steph have asked me to help them out with a small dilemma involving some of their teammates. Hopefully, that will provide me a chance to meet others they know and, well, browse.

Marc chuckled. "You want to browse, we can go to Barnes and Noble out here and you can check out all the merchandise. That comparison doesn't work when it comes to women, because they can bite back and you CAN'T pick up three or four items at one time."

Matt laughed at his uncle's analogy and mini cut-down, then promised to be on his best behavior when he got another chance to invade the athletic bubble.

**********

After asking some of her floor mates, Hayley decided that she and Sam should go to Calderone Club in Fox Point for their "first date". As the pair prepared to go out, Sam was stunned by the flirty outfit Hayley was wearing. Sam finished up getting ready before turning her attention back to Hayley and commenting on her dress

Sam: Are you trying to give me a heart attack?!

Hayley walked over to Sam and left a small peck on her lips. "Guess this outfit meets with your approval?"

Sam: Were I your mom, no. As your girlfriend, YES!

Hayley: Well, you don't look too shabby yourself.

Sam: Ready to go?

Hayley: Yes.

The two left their room and walked down the stairs to exit Augsburg. Hayley took Sam's hand in hers as they walked to her car, then left campus for the 10-minute drive down Port Washington Road to Calderone Club.

Despite knowing each other for nine years, and going to school together for seven, the pair seemed to have a hard time striking up a conversation this evening. Perhaps both were worried about exposing bad traits of theirs to the other, or felt they needed to talk about things more "sophisticated" than school, the team, their floor mates, and the like. When the silence got to be too much, Sam reached over and placed her hand on top of Hayley's.

Sam: It's just me. I've seen you ugly cry, comforted you after you downed that pint of espresso ice cream from The Chocolate Factory and got sort of sick to the stomach and a bit buzzed, and attended every one of your birthday parties. We've been close for a long time, so it shouldn't be this hard for us to take the next step and evolve that into a relationship. Talk to me, Hales.

Hayley: I, I guess that I'm sort of worried that, things you haven't seen yet of me will turn you off and I'll have ruined a perfectly good friendship because I wanted it to become more.

Sam took Hayley's hand and pulled it toward her lips, then kissed it. "Remember that I want this as much as you and told you I've been waiting for a while to make the jump. I don't know that I can hate any part of you, or be displeased with you at all. I do have a question, though. How do we tell our parents that we're dating?"

Hayley: I don't think we will need to tell them. Say we go home tomorrow for the day and celebrate our birthdays with the two families. Me kissing your cheek or us holding hands in front of them should do the trick. What kind of reaction do you think we'll get?

Sam: I think my mom has a bit of an idea as to something possibly happening given how much you and I pushed to have me live on-campus with you. Dad, I don't know what his opinion will be.

Hayley: I'm pretty sure both of my parents have been silently pulling for us to "get off the pot" and admit we like each other, so having that confirmed will make them happy.

Sam: Maybe the big to-do for tonight was a mistake. How about we drive down to Pick N Save, grab some snacks, pop, and ice cream, then get back to campus, drool over each other for a few minutes before changing into more comfortable clothes, and do what we do best, cuddle?

Hayley: Only if you let me make out with you a little before we change.

Sam: That's sort of what I had in mind with that "drool over each other" comment.

Sam asked the server to package up what they hadn't eaten yet, then paid the bill and left the restaurant with Hayley. Following their errand-running, they returned to Trinity and spent the rest of the evening in their room before falling asleep on the floor with Hayley in Sam's arms.

**********

Steph, Erin, Emma, and Savannah were gathered in the freshmen's room recapping the past day and piping up about some of their favorite (or least-favorite) people.

Erin (to Savannah): Good win for your team today and women's soccer pulled off an overtime win after looking as though they'd crumble late like the Coe match.

Savannah: It's nice to get off to a good start at home. Going to need a little more offensive thrust tomorrow against Trine according to Jill. I noticed up in the stands at halftime a guy I'd seen around Augsburg and at Deacon Schmidt's cookout with the three of you and him ending up slightly embarrassed. Fill me in?

Steph: That guy is Matt Olson. He's a bit of a younger cousin of ours since he's Marc's nephew. Lives down on second floor. He was asking me and Erin about you and we decided to let him hang himself over the belief that you were straight and that he could win you.

Savannah: I see.....and I am guessing my darling Emma had to deliver the bad news.

Emma: These two set me up perfectly, because all he knew was that you and I were roommates.

Savannah: That still seems a little bit mean.

Erin: We've given him a task to get him out of our hair for a bit. Seems that Danny and Steph McNamara are not on the same wavelength pertaining to orientation and we'd like to get it into the open before Steph tries to woo her. Therefore, we've asked him to pal up with Tori's twin brothers to figure out what they think of Danny, because we believe she's got her eyes on one of them.

Emma: Good idea on both fronts.

Steph: All part of protecting the team from internal strife.

Emma: Savs and I were out with Hayley and Sam and Lauren and Kelley last night. Great couples and almost as cute as us and you two.

Steph: Couples, as in that ship is out of harbor?

Emma: Yes. They confirmed that they're "something", though how much of something is unknown. They're out tonight, the two of them, to celebrate their birthdays. Hayley's was the 5th and Sam's is the 10th.

Erin: Steph, I know you're quite pleased by this after helping Hayley with getting up the nerve to go for it with Sam.

Savannah: I think the two of us also helped with pointing her in the right direction to make the initial move by telling our story of coming to be.

Steph: Since I brought up Tori, do either of you know how she dances?

Savannah: I'm not really sure, but if I had to take a guess, I'd say she and her brothers are looking for the same thing. Ask Katelyn for a more accurate answer.

Steph: My bad, I already know the answer! When Katelyn was over trying on outfits for the All-Sports Mixer, she told Alyssa and I that if she could help Tori land a good woman, she might be able find one for herself as well. Guess I should pass that along to Kristie to take into account when she and Sam plan their intervention.

Emma: Erin, is Coach Dillon dating Marc now, because I thought she was with our coach?

Erin looked at Steph with a pained expression on her face. "What would give you that impression?"

Emma: I see them together a lot. She was at the "family" cookout. You guys went up to Minnesota last weekend for her team's games and to visit his family.

The older students went back-and-forth non-verbally deciding whether to say something or not. Erin broke the silence after about 30 seconds.

Erin: She's a former player of his and they're friends. She fills that void he has right now when he's doing public ministry or is invited to events and doesn't want to go stag since the synod is a little nervous about his image as a single rostered leader.

Savannah: But there's potential for it to end up becoming something?

Erin: I won't deny that there's a certain amount of chemistry there and their mutual affinity for soccer provides them a great platform over which to spend time.

Steph: Dear, we better not try to keep up this charade because one or both of us will get tripped up sooner or later. Yes, Marc and Dani are somewhat of a couple. It's only been four months or so since Danielle's passing, as he mentioned in the homily on Wednesday, and that's not really enough time to grieve and then start up again on the relationship front, but I believe when the time comes for him to re-enter the dating world, it will be with her.

Emma: Well, if it does end up becoming more, I have to say they both will have chosen really well. Marc's funny, smart, thoughtful, and reminds me of a stereotypical TV dad, while Dani is a bit of a card from what I've seen and a knockout for someone of her dimensions. She could teach me a thing or two about standing out as a woman despite a physique that is sort of all over the place.

Erin: Steph and I have gotten to be pretty good friends with her over the past year and would be delighted if she's the next love in his life.

With Savannah having a game tomorrow morning, she and Emma told their guests that the time had come for them to skedaddle, which they did. Erin and Steph went back to her room and spent the night together as Cali had gone home with Dani to get away from campus for a few hours.


	26. Revision

A somewhat quiet Sunday at home was just the tonic Marc needed heading into a busy week that would include a Board of Trustees meeting on Friday morning, during which he and others would challenge Gavin Winchester's plan for elevating women's soccer to Division I for the Fall 2021 season. Also on the plate in the next several days was the first Student Government Association meeting of the year and addressing Roger's challenge to Danielle's trust.

At Trinity, a rare Sunday athletic event brought out a sizable crowd to Schreiber Stadium for the field hockey team's game against Trine University in a battle of the Thunders. Taking the call from their coach to be more aggressive in the attack, the home team jumped on the visitors from the opening whistle and were ahead 4-0 at the half, with Savannah assisting on the third goal. Mindful substitutions made by Jill in the second half helped secure a 6-1 win for Trinity and give them a weekend sweep of their opponents.

Meanwhile, down in Beloit, the women's soccer team ended up deploying a much different first XI from the one sent out against UW-Stout due to the unavailability of Carli and Allie, who had been assigned a full slate of meetings with multiple clients last night and were in no shape to play against the Buccaneers. Teagan Minor was given the start in net to provide Emily a bit of rest before their next game on Tuesday. The Thunder's regular back line of Erica Skidmore, Amber Bryant, and Cassie Kingston was kept intact, with Meg Pierce and Robyn Gaines replacing Taylor Simon and Cami Leonard at the wing midfield positions and Amanda Hutton and Kim Libby taking up the center spots. Makenna Doering got the start over Cali at right forward alongside Jordan Hubbard and Lexi Millen. The balance that had been lacking in the midfield in most of their first four matches was on display today as Libby was able to connect passes into her from Hutton, Gaines, and Pierce with the three front-runners, resulting in a pair of first-half goals from Lexi. A shortened bench and the fact of having games on back-to-back days (and three in four) meant more minutes for the reserves, who took advantage of the opportunity by putting together a 28-pass sequence that eventually ended with Cali knocking home a cross-field pass from Raquel Rivera to close out the scoring in a 3-0 win for the Thunder, bringing their record to 3-1-1 heading into their match at UW-Oshkosh in two days.

**********

Monday's edition of the Trinity Times wrapped up the weekend's athletic contests (two wins for women's soccer, a split for the men, two wins for field hockey, a 3-1 showing by women's volleyball at the Illinois Wesleyan Invitational, and a 38-27 win for the football team against UW-La Crosse), provided a short introduction of Student Government, and announced the schedule for Homecoming Week (September 30th through October 6th), which included a Decorate-Your-Hall contest, Thunderlympics on Friday the 4th, and an 80s-themed Homecoming Dance hosted by Tietjen Hall on Saturday the 5th. When Marc checked his email upon arriving on campus, he saw several from students making song requests along with a note from Director of Compliance Kara Callen desiring a meeting with him and Casey Schultz from Academic Advising on Tuesday morning concerning athletic department activities that might invite an NCAA investigation. The rest of his morning consisted of working on Wednesday's homily, touching base with the two couples he would be marrying in the near future, and doing some online shopping for Dani's birthday gift.

The weekly meeting of Marc's Super Six Peers (Alyssa, Erin, Steph, Julie, Corey, and Brad) recapped the Activities Fair, evaluated the first two services of the year, and worked out the language for Erin's proposal to the SGA for the founding and recognition of Lutheran Student Movement as a TLU student organization. Elsewhere in the dining hall, a few members of the women's soccer team and Tori were having lunch.

Jordan: God, could I use an off-day. Game Saturday, game yesterday, another one tomorrow. The schedule wasn't nearly this jam-packed in high school unless we had matches postponed for weather.

Lexi: Now you see why I'm not doing all the things I did last year, because the body can't keep up with the match schedule plus training schedule plus school plus the side stuff.

Cali: It also looks like we're running into the same trap as last year, with players not keeping their eye on the ball and getting looped into energy-expending activities when they should be resting and recuperating.

Lexi: NO S***!

Erica: What IS IT that is wiping Carli and Allie out, and seems to be doing somewhat of a number on Amber and Emily?

Lexi: You REALLY don't want to know.

Cali and Jordan looked at one another, then nodded at Lexi.

Tori: Can you tell me off-the-record?

Lexi: Again, you just don't want to know about that part of what goes on within our team and the department as a whole.

Cali: Lex, you know there are people here who want to do something about it, right?

Lexi: I know, but I don't want to see certain people take the fall for what certain others have been organizing. At least I haven't gotten bothered by them since returning to school.

Erica: How can two of our best players just be so stupid to do whatever it is they are doing and putting our team in a crap position because they're too worn-out to play or play well?

Lexi: You hit it on the head, sista! They don't really care about the team, just being part of it because it gets them the platform and access to get away with various things and benefits that probably are against NCAA regulations. I need to get out of here for a walk. Cali, Jordan, come with me?

Cali and Jordan got up from the table and returned their trays, then waited for Lexi outside as she wrapped up her conversation with Erica and Tori. Once she had exited Siebert, Lexi led the other two back towards Augsburg, stopping in the somewhat-hidden space between Katharine and Coburg Halls. They sat down in the grass and Lexi opened up.

Lexi: I didn't want to get too much into what's up in front of Erica and Tori, but I can with you since you're aware of what is happening and how I was involved. I still get the weekly emails from Sara about the upcoming weekend's activities and who's doing what. Carli and Allie were assigned Saturday night to what I'd call some mini-orgies. THAT'S why they were "under the weather", because they were screwing all night long. I can't believe Sara would have them do that on the night before a game.

Cali: Sounds pretty f'ed up if you ask me. This was happening last year as well, right?

Lexi: Yes. We didn't get into the all-nighters until after the season was over, but there were nights when I'd be dragging it home at 5am, sleep for 4-5 hours maybe, then get up and struggle my way to pregame meal at 10. Same was the case for most of the others. Things picked up when we were out-of-season, with 7am not being an unreasonable time to get back to Augsburg from "work".

Jordan: Which is why you would always be asleep when I called you on Sundays.

Lexi: Right. My whole schedule was twisted and turned and you both know what ended up happening as a result of it.

Cali: Yep. Put my cousin's head in a vise to cover up what was happening, drove XP to the point of nearly hopping onto the interstate, and the punishment still didn't seem to be enough for you to give it up just then.

Lexi: XP?

Cali: It's a nickname Erin and Steph have given the chaplain. It's short for Expansion Pack. He's like the cool dad in the neighborhood who you can talk to when your own parents are getting on your nerves.

Lexi: You sure we're talking about the same guy? The chaplain I know wanted to starve me to death as retribution for lying about Coach Dillon harassing me.

Cali: You crossed him by falsely accusing someone close to him of unfathomable things. If you had done it to Erin or Steph, you'd have gotten the same kind of treatment.

Cali put her hand over her mouth after realizing what she had said.

Jordan: Ooooo......Deacon Schmidt and Coach a thing?

Cali bowed her head before answering. "This CANNOT go anywhere further than right here. Yes, they are sort of a thing. They knew each other before both were hired here. Sparks sort of flew following that."

Lexi: Ahhhhhhhh.....so THAT'S why he had it out for me.

Cali: EXACTLY! By the way, he along with some people at the ELCA national offices in Chicago are trying to bring this whole ring to an end. I know you don't want to see the hammer fall on those who aren't the big-time dealers, but he needs someone from the inside to blow the whistle or to get enough independent evidence to start an investigation. He sort of figured out you were in on it from what some of the lacrosse players were telling him last fall, so you don't need to worry about exposing something embarrassing to him. You have a second chance, Lex. Use it.

Jordan: We need to get over to Buuck and change for practice.

The three forwards stood up, with Cali and Jordan hugging Lexi before they walked over to the athletic center.

**********

Kara Callen: Casey and I have been comparing our notes from the past several months on matters concerning at least two of the women's athletic teams here, those being soccer and lacrosse. In the case of women's soccer, there has been an inordinate amount of money going into and out of their account by way of alumni relations along with some requests by Gavin for instructors or professors to re-consider the marks they handed out to certain student-athletes. As for lacrosse, there is a cloud hanging over Coach Heberlein's departure and whether the severance package was appropriate.

Marc: I'm aware of the money-shuffling that Gavin and Sara have going, along with something being wrong about Lauren's ability to exit without admitting fault. On both financial issues, the audit done in early April should have dragged up evidence of wrongdoing.

Kara: The one by the ELCA's CFO?

Marc: Yes. I know her from high school and requested she stop up here to take a look at the books, as well as to play a huge April Fool's joke on my peer ministers. She's planning to attend the Board of Trustees meeting on Friday to help me fight Gavin's push to move women's soccer to Division I so he can eventually fund a monster football program on their backs. As for Lauren trying to get away with no penalty, I spoke with MSOE's athletic director a couple of times about the conference seeking a show-cause order, which was granted by the NCAA at the end of May.

Casey Schultz: You see why I said we needed to talk to him.

Marc: Is the buy-out still under lock-and-key, or can others besides you, Kara, access it?

Kara: The seal was broken to comply with Rev. Bailey's audit of the department. It's still only visible by myself and President Garrett aside from Gavin, but she has the general layout and numbers from the document.

Marc: Hopefully that will be introduced on Friday as well.

Casey: The academic deception Lauren attempted during her time in charge of the lacrosse program was unsettling for me. My initial impression of her was that she cared about the student-athletes' need to balance their education and their athletic participation and thus took an active role in helping them manage all of it. Now that I know some of it was a ruse to open up roster spots for future seasons, I'm glad she got taken down by her own big mouth and there were no adverse consequences laid on the players. Sarah and I spoke over the summer and fixed what Lauren had tried to do.

Marc: Good to hear. So what's the poop you want me to scoop up?

Kara: As good as I am with trying to keep everyone out of the NCAA's noose, I just don't have the range of experience that someone at a Division I school would have in dealing with the possibility of major violations like academic fraud, impermissible benefits the level of which Gavin is handing out, or actual crimes. If I can get you access to Lauren's buy-out agreement, can you get it before the Board of Trustees on Friday as part of your presentation?

Marc: You said Alex already had it, so it should be part of what she presents. Something for me to take up with her on Thursday. She can also better tie the package to any other irregularities in the department.

Casey: Being that we're here, I want to bring up a couple of things not pertaining to Trinity athletics. First, Ashley has been wondering how many of us ex-MUSC players are at Trinity.

Marc: You two, her, and Dani. That doesn't include Michelle Pelphrey, who's Dani's housemate and is dating the son of Dr. Oliphant in Educational Leadership, or Kathy O'Leary, who is expected to be hired on Friday as a part-time contract employee with the Urban Coaching Institute, continuing in her role as the organization's accountant.

Kara: Didn't know about the other two being part of the bigger circle here. I guess that means we should find a time to get all of us together for lunch up here.

Casey: I think that's why Ashley was wondering, so I'd say let her plan it after I give her the list of people.

Marc: Sounds good.

Casey: Secondly, Marc, are you and Dani.......

Marc sighed deeply while Kara held her breath with anticipation.

Marc: Promise me this doesn't leave my office or the space between your ears.

Kara: I take it that means yes.

Marc: Yes. We're not officially an item, but I hope to change that in a couple of weeks when we go out for her birthday. As for being public, I'd like to wait on that until after this term is over. Let her get the soccer season out of the way, her first semester of grad classes completed, and settle into her new role with UCI before having to tackle the expectations that everyone at Trinity and the synod will place on her because of me.

Casey: Even though I didn't expect the two of you to get together after your wife died, I get how it could happen.

Kara: You'd always been sort of sweet on her, from what I recall. I didn't figure you and her would become something, but based on what I remember of her from Stritch, someone like you makes sense. You're relatively stable as a result of being older, you have a strong sense of loyalty and devotion, and you can see the best in others and help them to see it in themselves as well.

Marc: If she wants to tell the two of you after the fact, so be it, but please keep my plan under your hats.

Casey: Got it, Marc.

Kara: Ditto.


	27. Light 'Em Up

Wednesday's worship service focused on the concept of second chances and how being at Trinity offered the opportunity to become something or someone different than one might have been previously. Karina served as lector with her and Cali assisting Marc with Communion. Lunch Bunch drew a sizable crowd, with some of the regular freshmen attendees asking the older students and faculty/staff for tips on incorporating Marc's message of change into their nascent journeys.

Katelyn: Before coming to Trinity, I'd always been known as the "big girl" in my circle of friends, wide and tall, which made me self-conscious around others away from the athletic field. I've never been what you'd call fat, just out-sized I guess. How do I change that perception so I'm more approachable and perhaps can catch someone's eye?

Alyssa, Dani, and Steph Lafleur were ready to chime in with the reality of the college experience on that viewpoint. After checking with each other, Steph responded.

Steph: Totally get where you're coming from. My muscularity makes me seem threatening even though I'm anything but. The campus environment I think helps that change to come naturally, as you're around certain people a LOT more than you would be in high school, which causes the ones worth knowing to look below the surface. Plus, in the athletic world, there are plenty more examples of you and me with whom to commiserate and trade advice. That's why we've developed somewhat of a Big Girls Club around here. Alyssa and I talked about this somewhat when the three of us and Alanna went to Jose's during Orientation Week.

Dani: I was the "fat friend" in high school and my first year or so at Stritch. How I felt about it got so bad that I eventually developed bulimia and I still struggle with feelings of inadequacy, even after I started to turn the weight into muscle and toned my arms and legs. My best friend and housemate was a great support for me, as was my sister Angela. I now have people who accept me as I am, and some even find my metamorphosis sexy.

Alyssa and Steph raised their eyebrows at each other, acknowledging Dani's remark and to whom it referred.

Cameron: How does one break out of the shy and nerdy peg hole?

Corey: I think I can take this on. My major is nursing and I get a LOT of jokes thrown at me because of it. Over my first year here, I developed a bit of a thick skin as well as honing my ability to explain why I'm attracted to the profession, which opens the door to expose more of myself to others.

Cameron: My troubles are sort of multi-faceted. First, I am a triplet, with my brother and sister being more outgoing than myself. She's a huge go-getter when it comes to her passion for sports and storytelling, while he is the least-inhibited of the three of us.

Marc: I gave you my opinion of how to break out of that box, but can anyone else give Cam some advice on becoming more assured around people?

Cali: My boyfriend is similar to you in that manner, but is a much different person behind his French horn or mellophone. Having something you specialize in that gives you a bit of identity can help you build confidence while also allowing you to cast a different public persona that might attract attention from others.

Dani: My guy is quite reserved and sometimes too much in his own head, but put him on stage and it's like a 180 degree shift and he's the funniest, most entertaining person you'll ever meet. He's also one of the biggest a-holes you'll ever meet. Right, girls?

Steph: I think my girl is funnier than him, but he's good for several laughs if you get him going. And YES, he has the potential to tear you a new one if you get on his bad side.

Alyssa: Everyone here knows I'm quiet, but the balance I get from being around my twin sister, my girlfriend, and her sister has allowed me to be more assured of myself in crowds. It has also rubbed off onto my play for the hockey team, where I have to be the loudest player on the ice so the forwards and defenders can hear me and adjust to what I'm seeing from my position in net.

Marc: I hate to leave this stimulating conversation, but I have some work to get done before SGA this afternoon. Before I go, how did women's soccer do yesterday?

Dani: We lost, 4-0. Same kind of scenario as the Grinnell game. No bite in the middle, no balance. Add on that it was our third game in four days and fourth in seven and the result wasn't really surprising.

Marc: Erin, are you ready for today?

Erin: Yep. I know we're going to have at least two abstentions due to conflict of interest, but I'm still hopeful there will be 26 votes in favor.

Marc: Good, good.

Marc left the others and went back to his office to work on his response to Roger's challenge of Danielle's trust. After another re-read of the document he was sent by the court, he began composing his rebuttal.

To: Register of Probate, Milwaukee County Courthouse, Milwaukee, WI  
Re: Case Number 2019PR000328 In The Estate of Danielle C. Schmidt  
From: Marc D. Schmidt, Trustee of Estate

The court document referencing Case Number 2019PR000328, dated August 29, 2019 and submitted by Roger F. Wolff, brother of decedent, was received by Trustee on September 3, 2019. The petitioner claims that the Trustee has failed in his fiduciary duty to disclose a complete inventory of decedent's assets.

Upon the death of Danielle C. Schmidt on April 25, 2019, her estate was frozen and the provisions of her trust were put into effect. The liquidation of monetary assets (pension, 401K, bank accounts) was handled by Trustee via the submission of decedent's death certificate. Additionally, all non-trust bequests and life insurance benefits were passed along to their beneficiaries. Real and tangible property was transferred to the ownership of her widower for distribution at his discretion. The following is the accounting of the above-mentioned monetary assets, which the petitioner is contesting for lack of full disclosure.

Checking account $2385 (50% of 4/25/19 balance of $4769.14)  
Savings account $1481.32 (100% of 4/25/2019 balance as held separately)  
401K $68,447.83  
Lump-sum pension $4923.05

TOTAL $77,237.20

Per community property rules, decedent's widower is entitled to 50% of the total monetary assets attributed to her ($38,618.60). As the decedent had no children, the customary 25-33% of the estate designated for them was bequeathed to: niece Samantha Olson; nephews Zachary Sawyer and Matthew Olson; and goddaughter Erin Matheson, each to receive $6,436.43. The remaining $12,872.88 shall be equally divided between the decedent's siblings, Brenda Sawyer and Roger Wolff, each to receive $6,436.44.

It is the opinion of the Trustee that the petitioner has filed this challenge as a result of undue influence by a person without legal standing and asks that it be dismissed with prejudice. Furthermore, should this challenge be deemed credible and a hearing on its merits occur, the Trustee requests that the petitioner be limited to facts in evidence and the claims made in his initial filing, thus not allowing for alternate grounds for the challenge to be presented at that time.

[Electronic Signature]

Marc read over what he had written, then decided to have Dani give it a quick read for grammar and tone after practice before sending it on to the Register of Probate. He then walked over to Stuenkel to observe the opening Student Government Association legislative session of the year and to provide in-house moral support to Erin.

**********

Marc spent Thursday morning pulling together materials for his presentation before the Board of Trustees the next day in opposition to Gavin Winchester's funding request from the Trinity Foundation for upgrades to Niemoller Field. He played phone tag with Rev. Alex Bailey at the ELCA National Office in Chicago before eventually reaching her just after the lunch hour. She confirmed that she would be coming to Trinity for tomorrow's meeting and would present her findings from the audit done on the athletic department in early April.

Due to the soccer team's game schedule over its first two weeks of the season, their "one in seven" off-day came on Thursday. Dani stopped in with Sarah to see Marc so the three could watch game film she had gotten from Tori of the matches vs. Stout and North Park and the match vs. Coe by way of Macalester's on-demand video service. After viewing selected parts of the three matches, they discussed what they had seen.

Dani: I want the two of you to give me a bit of outside perspective on what you saw before I start working through what's going on in my head.

Sarah: From my point of view, it looks like Sara wants to commit everything possible forward and leave the back line to negotiate the one-on-one battles that will happen at times in the match. If the three center backs were better, or possibly more experienced with playing that way, this style of play could work. We went through a period right after I took over where I was trying to untangle Lauren's mess of a system of play from what the true skill set of the squad was. I first streamlined everything into a simple formation, the 4-3-4, that most everyone had some familiarity with and in which we didn't have to worry about players drifting into the restricted zones. When I realized that we were coughing up late goals and getting into mismatches as a result of my "everyone plays" philosophy and the distribution of our midfield players, I adjusted it to play a bit more absorb-and-counter. The 4-2-3-2 still had the detectable line splits, making it easy for the reserves to go in and know their assignments, and gave us all the offensive weapons we had in the 4-3-4, but re-distributed them a bit. Doesn't hurt that we had some hybrid players on the team who could play multiple ways out of the same position, or that the positions were really the same as they had been playing.

Dani: Marc, we talked after the Grinnell game about how the team performed and changes to make that would bring balance to our approach. After seeing a couple more matches, any new ideas you want to present?

Marc: First, let me state what I think is working at the moment. The interchangeability you have with some of your wing players, plus the height your number 15 brings to the table, the potential is there to do what Sara wants, which is running teams into the ground. When you've had someone in front of the back line, the game seems to be in better balance and your team's talent is able to impress itself on the opposition. Carli and Allie together are your best means of bite, possession, and attacking prowess from the players you have, but they REALLY need to play in front of the back three instead of both of them tucked up in Jordan's shadow. Very few teams can thrive without having some amount of credible offensive or defensive flank play. Her layout gives you neither, as 11 and Cami are not going to create or combine a lot from their posts. You also don't have any players aside from 23 who are threats across the entire length of the field. Since I don't know how committed Sara is to either the formation, the layout, or the players currently being used in the various positions, giving a one-size-fits-all solution wouldn't be useful for you, really.

Dani: If you were me, or her, what would you do?

Marc: Personally, I'd go 4-4-2 with the double pivot of Carli and Allie, drop the outside players to the back line, pair Lexi with Jordan up top, and bring in two offensive-minded wingers. If your two grumpies aren't willing to play that deep, put in players that will but also provide you something going forward and can fill the space in the middle between the strike pair and where the other center mid would reside. If you want to stay with the 3-4-3, turn the midfield into either a diamond or a box and spread out the three in the back. Chile's men's team plays a form of this that is somewhat unique in that they have a single player sit behind the three forwards rather than in front of the three backs.

Marc pulled out a sheet of paper from the printer and began sketching it out for Dani and Sarah.

\-------------X

\------X------X------X

X------------X------------X

\-------------X

\---X---------X---------X

Marc: You can utilize your normal starting XI in this set-up where they are playing currently with the exception of splitting Carli and Allie in the middle, and it's also adaptable to allow you to play more offensively or more defensively based on who you place in the outside positions of each line. Want to attack more? Move the wingbacks up in line with the 10. Need to hold a lead? Pull the outside forwards back to where the 10 is sitting. Also lets you sub in different players without changing the formation immediately. Care to plug in some possibilities and see what it looks like with your team?

While Dani played around with the formation and who could go where both at the start and when different needs in the match arose, Sarah picked Marc's brain about its usefulness for her team.

Sarah: Hmmmm.....We have an extra player on the field in lacrosse, so I'd have to accommodate that additional body somewhere. It doesn't look on the surface TOO different than my 4-2-3-2, but I couldn't tell you where the best place would be to fit in that extra player. Can you?

Marc: Modifying this for lacrosse, you probably want to think less about picking a spot for that body and more so the players you want on the field together. Same is sort of true for soccer. Take your best-guess first XII for the season opener. Once you have the names, the scheme will sort of open itself up in front of you.

After a few minutes of working through her roster and the players she thought would work best in the 4-4-2 and 3-4-3, Dani shared her ideas with the others.

Dani: Like you, Marc, I am partial to the 4-4-2 and its stability. Same reason why Sarah chose to move to a 5-player midfield. How I'd put it on the field would be like this:

\------------------Emily

Taylor-------Erica-------Robyn-------Cassie

\-------------Carli--------Amber

Makenna----------------------------Raquel

\--------------Jordan------Lexi

Marc: Interesting. You pull out three of the current starters and move a fourth one to a different position.

Dani: The wings are out-and-out offensive, so I needed a tough-as-nails player in the center, which Amber is. Carli can advance into the hole between Makenna and Raquel when we move the ball upfield. Cassie's better outside than inside and was playing out there last year. Cali would be in there, but she's better up top than coming from behind. As for the 3-4-3, here's what I've got:

\----------------Emily

\-------Erica-----Amber----Cassie

Taylor----------Amanda----------Cami

\-----------------Carli

Cali--------------Jordan----------Lexi

Sarah: That's a pretty big shift from how you'd play the 4-4-2 to how you'd retool the 3-4-3.

Dani: In this version, I play it similar to how Sara does now, with Amanda plugged into the D-mid role. If I want to go offensive, replace Taylor and Cami with Makenna and Raquel and move them forward in line with Carli, then spread out Erica and Cassie and have Amber play sweeper behind them. Maria can play either the 10 or the 6, wherever her height might prove most useful on a given day.

Marc: That's your giant that won Saturday's game?

Dani: Yes. I'd also be willing to give her time up top as she's a more physical presence than Jordan is right now.

Marc: Sounds like you've got a good idea of how to help Sara fix the defensive gaffes and the midfield balance issues. Remember, you're here to HELP the boss, not COMPETE with her. Otherwise, you end up on the outside looking in, like Sarah got from Lauren before everything came crashing down on her.

Dani: I know that, XP.

Marc laughed at hearing his gal call him by the nickname Erin and Steph have stuck on him. "For Erin and Steph, that nickname works because they think of me as a supplement program to their parents. I hope you're not using in the same manner, because that could get really freaky."

Dani: Silly man, of course not. For me, you're like an encyclopedia of soccer knowledge I'm able to tap, no pun intended, when I come across a situation or dilemma that my own bank of resources can't answer.

Marc and Sarah raised their eyebrows, then teased Dani over her choice of words. The three of them wrapped up their strategy session and left Marc's office for home. Before departing campus, Marc asked Sarah if she and Wil were free on Saturday morning for brunch ahead of the Trinity Lutheran/Concordia-Chicago soccer game. Sarah told him she'd check with Wil and let him know tomorrow.


	28. By Invitation Only

Inside Stuenkel 103, the September meeting of the Trinity Lutheran University Board of Trustees was close to commencing. Outside the room, Marc and Rev. Alex Bailey were exchanging documents so both would be working from the same information when they presented their remarks on behalf of Bishop Emerson (Marc) and the ELCA (Alex). Morgan Andringa walked over to the pair and asked them a couple of questions concerning the agenda for the meeting and if any surprises were in store.

Alex: I'm expecting a bit of fireworks as this will be the third or fourth attempt by Gavin Winchester to secure funds for upgrading Niemoller Field and the larger plan of moving the athletic department out of Division III.

Marc: I have been the synod's voice at each stop on his fundraising campaign, telling the various bodies the real implications of the upgrades and its ultimate endgame. I'm not aware that he's looking to push all the teams up, just one on each side to gain access to the College Football Playoff and March Madness dollars.

Tori saw Morgan and told her that Thunder Media was having her cover the meeting for Monday's news broadcast. Marc introduced Tori to Rev. Bailey and gave her a short synopsis of what was on the agenda. The four entered the lecture hall and found seats. Marc and Alex talked briefly about her assertion that Gavin wants to elevate the entire program.

Marc: Was there something in the audit that indicated Gavin has plans over-and-above women's soccer and a men's sport going D-I?

Alex: The projected budgets for FYs 2023 and 2024 show increased budget lines for scholarships compared to FY 2022, the year when two teams are to be moved from non-scholarship to scholarship status.

Marc: Can you send me the file? Taking all 24 to D-I in Fall 2022 would be ridiculous given the current situation, so if there is an attempt to leave D-III, it would have to be either moving to D-II, where UW-Parkside resides, or NAIA like Cardinal Stritch. Present what you have on that today and I'll do some work next week to parse through the numbers and see what his ultimate goal might be,

Alex told Marc that she'd send it to him from her phone after the meeting. The 35 members of the Board came in and took their seats. Chairman David Strasser gaveled in the proceedings and yielded the floor to Peter Wilkins to open the session.

Peter Wilkins: The chair calls forward Gavin Winchester.

Gavin moved to the rostrum and presented several contracts for approval, including the hiring of Nicole Babcock as assistant women's lacrosse coach, Jason Servais as assistant secondary coach for football, and Rob Adelman as fielding coach for baseball. The Board approved the package by unanimous consent. Next on the agenda was TLU President Don Garrett.

Don Garrett: As this board knows, the ELCA's Committee on Higher Education approved the founding of a new four-year college based in Chicago at last month's Churchwide Assembly. Wayne Michaels, Bishop of the Metropolitan Chicago Synod, has been in contact with me since then and asked me if I would consider being the school's first president. Following some give-and-take and agreement on the timeline, I accepted his offer. Therefore, I plan to leave Trinity Lutheran University at the end of this academic year and will submit my letter of resignation at the appropriate time.

David Strasser: This is a bit sudden, but not a real shock given that you still reside in Illinois and gave this board a two-year commitment to the presidency of TLU following the move from Kenosha. Your decision is acknowledged and we will take action in the near future to determine the proper means of transition.

President Garrett returned to his seat and Parliamentarian Wilkins called upon Vice President of Student Affairs Albert Moncrief to provide a recap of Orientation Week and the school's inaugural Activities Fair. Upon the completion of VP Moncrief's remarks, Chairman Strasser called for a five-minute recess. Morgan used the time to text a few of the lacrosse players with the news of Nicole's hiring, while Sarah walked down to invite Marc and Alex to a small gathering after the meeting in the Friends of Concord Room in Buuck to make the official announcement of Nicole's hiring. Strasser gaveled the meeting back into session and Wilkins called Gavin back to the rostrum.

Gavin: This body is aware that plans are in the works to elevate Trinity Lutheran University athletics beyond its current state of 24 teams playing in the NCAA's Division III. In order to enter Division I in any sport aside from baseball, we need to upgrade our facilities to meet the standard expected of programs at that level. Over the past four or five months, I have been turned away or stalled by this body, the Greater Milwaukee Synod's executive council, the ELCA's Committee on Higher Education, and our synod's general assembly. I come back before this body to request the ability to secure from the Trinity Foundation seed capital in the amount of $1,500,000 to begin upgrades to Niemoller Field that will lead to women's soccer moving into Division I in two years.

Wilkins: Questions from the board?

Daniel Courtnall: What specifically would that level of investment procure?

Gavin: We would be able to enclose the south end of the field with seating in its current configuration plus some initial redevelopment on both the north and south ends. Eventually, the field would need to be moved about 20-30 yards south to allow for seating on the north end. There are scant possibilities to do much on the east or west sides and we'd eventually need to add locker rooms to the facility.

Laura Hammond: So the $1.5M only gets you one step down the road without doing more extensive work?

Gavin: Correct. A full upgrade to include seats on three sides, locker rooms, moving and re-turfing the field, and re-developing the grassy incline on the east side of the field probably runs $8-10M.

Lisa Devaney: Is Trinity Lutheran in a position where a move of ANY sports program to Division I is feasible?

Gavin: Not exactly, but the risk of sending up one men's and one women's team is small when weighed against the potential boon for the department as a whole, which would include additional sport offerings and more competitive teams.

With no additional questions coming from the Board, Wilkins asked if there were objections to the request. Marc and Alex stood and walked down to the rostrum, getting a bit of a glare from Gavin.

Marc: Chairman Strasser, Board of Trustees. I rise in opposition to the request by Mr. Winchester to be granted funds from the Trinity Foundation to begin upgrades on Niemoller Field. The fact that he has brought this proposal before several bodies with no luck in gaining significant approval for it should be reason enough to turn it down once again. In every forum to date, Mr. Winchester has refused to lay out his ultimate endgame beyond the desire to move women's soccer and an appropriate men's sport to Division I. Why is this a good idea? Why the push to do it so soon in the school's existence? I will grant him that a need does exist for the facilities on this campus to be evaluated and some upgrades done. The process of doing so should be thorough, deliberate, and involve as many stakeholders as possible, not be pushed through at the whim of one individual with a deadline in mind. I now yield to my friend and colleague, the Chief Financial Officer of the ELCA, Rev. Alex Schroeder Bailey.

Wilkins: Rev. Bailey is recognized.

Alex: Thank you, Deacon Schmidt. I am here today on behalf of the ELCA as a whole. In April, I visited Trinity to perform an audit of the athletic department at the request of Deacon Schmidt and Rev. Matt Sherman, Assistant to the Bishop for Administration. During that audit, I came across some unusual findings in the areas of income and outgo surrounding the department's alumni relations program and its connection to the women's soccer team's budget, along with a seemingly large severance package given to former women's lacrosse coach Lauren Heberlein. Additionally, the projected budgets for FY 2023 and FY 2024 show an significant increase in scholarship dollars from that necessary to fund two teams at the Division I level, which exists in the FY 2022 projected budget. The ELCA believes that the move of Trinity Lutheran athletics in its entirety to Division I is ill-advised and not in keeping with the efficient and effective use of limited resources, and we request that you deny the request pending further information regarding the irregularities in the athletic department's finances.

Strasser: If there is nothing further, do I hear a motion to proceed?

Paul Ridgewell: I move that we table the proposal until we meet again, at which time Mr. Winchester needs to provide us with more detail as to the long-term plans for the athletic department.

Strasser: Is there a second?

Cindy Paine: I second.

Strasser: All in favor? (26) Opposed? (9) The motion is agreed to.

With nothing further on the agenda, Chairman Strasser adjourned the meeting. Marc, Sarah, Alex, Nicole, Morgan, and Tori exited the lecture hall and walked the short distance through the field house to the Friends of Concord Room, where a small lectern was on a table at the front and Jamie was behind it.

Jamie Krueger: Welcome, everyone. As most of you know, the women's lacrosse program at Trinity Lutheran University has undergone a significant face lift in the thirteen months since it came into existence. Our inaugural head coach, Lauren Heberlein, departed halfway through the season amid allegations of homophobia and verbal abuse of athletes. She received an 18-month show-cause order from the NCAA at the end of May along with a three-year suspension from the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference as a result of that. At last month's Board of Trustees meeting, a four-year contract for head coach Sarah Hawthorne was approved, with her assistant's hiring approved just a short while ago by said Board. I would like to introduce the new head and assistant women's lacrosse coaches at TLU, Sarah Hawthorne and Nicole Babcock.

Sarah and Nicole came forward and said a few words each thanking Jamie and the players for the endorsements that led to their hirings. After a couple of questions from media present, including one from Tori, the mini-press conference was concluded.

**********

The Trinity Lutheran University Invitational at Buuck Field House opened with the Augsburg Augies facing the Capital Crusaders. Marc was asked to give the Invocation prior to the match. Capital took the first set, 25-19, but Augsburg won the second set, 25-22, to even the match at one a piece. A powerful performance by the Crusaders' outside hitters led them to a 25-12 third-set win, which was followed up by winning the fourth set, 27-25, to take the match three sets to one.

Between matches, Marc was on the concourse getting snacks for the Trinity/St. Olaf match. While sitting on one of the benches, he was approached by a man in a TLU Women's Volleyball polo shirt.

Joe Rollins: Deacon Schmidt?

Marc: I recognize the voice. You're Katelyn's dad, right?

Joe: Yes.

Marc stood up and shook hands with Rev. Rollins. "Pleased to finally put a face to the name and voice. How has it been for you since things got cleared-up from Churchwide?"

Joe: Paula finally believed me after Katelyn and I both told her about the intervention by you and Paul and the confessions from Gene and Allen. Kendra was very much relieved that her family wasn't about to crumble in front of her, with Katelyn up here and me somewhere other than home. As for my congregation, they did choose to censure me mildly for not using good judgment in staying with the other two following the initial discussion between them and "Mandy".

Marc: I'm excited to see how the team performs tonight. The results from the first two tournaments (5 wins, 2 losses) points at them having a chance against this threesome of ELCA schools, and I'm glad that Jamie went about scheduling a replacement for the CIT that Concordia would play.

Marc and Joe walked back into the gym and took seats about halfway up the bleachers close to center court. The Thunder players returned to their locker room briefly for some final words from Jamie ahead of their first home match of the season.

Jamie: Tonight, we get to see just how far we've come as a team, as a group of women, since the last time we took the floor here. Our three freshmen will experience the feeling of playing in this building for the first time this evening. Before we head back out, I want to leave you with a couple of thoughts from one of my fellow coach/chaplains. We are here, together, as one. Our sportuality, defines as where sport and spirituality meet, leads us to pursue a greater good on the floor. Sacrifice, love, devotion, perseverance, dedication, patience. All of these are concepts we exhibit on the field, but they also reside within ourselves, given to us by a higher power. Channel that, and play from the heart.

The twelve players stood and huddled up before exiting the locker room and returning to the court. Up in the stands, several of the athletes on Augsburg 3 chanted Katelyn's name, arousing a perk of the ears from Joe and Marc. They looked back and saw who was behind it, then motioned for the group to come down and join them. Once seated in front of the two men, they all said hi to Marc, who then introduced the posse to Joe.

Marc: Going from left to right, we have Abby Davidson, Julie Jacobsen, Christen Prince, Emma Preston, Erin Matheson, Stephanie Lafleur, and Alyssa Norman. All of you, Katelyn's dad, Rev. Joe Rollins.

Joe shook hands with everyone, then turned his attention to the court. The Thunder got off to a 14-4 start against St. Olaf, leading to winning the first set 25-11. Katelyn and Alanna were inserted to start the second set and were nearly unstoppable on the kill, propelling their team to a two-sets-to-none lead by a 25-8 scoreline. The Oles came out of their huddle determined to put up a fight in the third set, scrapping their way to a 18-14 advantage. Jamie returned Katelyn to the match in place of the team's regular setter, wishing to use her extra height in the middle to trim the deficit and ultimately take the lead. A run of six points by Sydney Montoya pushed Trinity ahead, 20-18. Following a failed kill by Alanna, the Oles picked up three points to bring the score to 22-20 in their favor. Jamie called timeout and spoke to her players.

Jamie: We can finish this off if we get the ball back on this next serve. Claire, you're in for Whitney. Katelyn, you move out to the right side. We get it back, Claire runs it out as I'll bring Veronica in for Elise, giving us a giant front line.

The Thunder sextet retook the court and regained the ball on a service error. Claire stepped to the back line and sent over a jump serve that dove to the ground fiercely, evening the score at 22. Katelyn and Alanna teamed on a block to give Trinity the lead, then Claire picked up another ace to give her team match point. St. Olaf called timeout to set up their reception game for Claire's next serve. As the Thunder broke the huddle, Alanna yelled at her teammates, "FINISH. THIS. OFF!" The Augsburg women and Abby started a chant of "TLU! TLU!" as Claire prepared to serve. She sent a cut-serve over the net, where it dropped into the lap of the St. Olaf setter. The Oles struggled to get the ball back over the net, resulting in an easy spike from Katelyn in the center front. The Thunder players gathered in a small circle in the center of the floor in celebration of the straight-set win. After shaking hands with their opponents and giving some applause to the crowd, the team headed to the locker room.

Tori waited in the concourse for players to come through, getting comments from several of her floor mates and Rev. Rollins on the match. Katelyn and Alanna came around to the front of the field house and were greeted by those who hung around. Tori asked the pair about the match and how they planned to celebrate.

Katelyn: I think my celebration tonight will be a good night's sleep, as we have two matches tomorrow against tougher competition.

Alanna: I'm with her. No playing around with fatigue.

Tori ended the interview, then told her roommate that she'd be back to their room a bit later since she was going to Chemnitz to hang out with her brothers for a while.


	29. Press Your Luck

Sarah and Wil arrived at Cafe 1505 a few minutes ahead of Marc, who made a couple of stops on the way to pick up Dani's birthday present (a blue sapphire earring-and-necklace set) and to confirm next Saturday night's party for her at Sprecher's Restaurant and Pub. Once he entered the cafe, he saw the other two seated and walked over to their table, then sat down himself. The three of them ordered, then Wil opened the conversation.

Wil: Why did you want to have brunch with the two of us without Dani? Something to do with her birthday, perhaps?

Marc: Yes and no. Yes, it has something to do with it, but not involving planning for it. The party location is set along with the menu, and I picked up her gift on my way here. I wanted to meet with you and Sarah to get an update on where you and her are, and where she is with Deuce.

Sarah: Dani and I are sort of not really together, if that makes sense. She's been spending so much time with you since Danielle passed away that it's hard for us to keep up the facade or pretend that we're more than friends. Her family still thinks she and I are seeing each other, but that's because she's still nervous about mentioning you to them.

Wil: As for Sarah and I, we're spending more time together doing things other than the "need you now" shag or comforting. Are we "dating"? I wouldn't call it that, because I'm still sort of committed to finding the right guy despite what she and I have.

Marc: Thanks for the honesty. I'm planning to ask Dani for a commitment when we go out for her birthday next Monday. I'm ready to give that to her and I wanted to know if she was in a place to accept it and reciprocate.

Sarah: I think she's been ready since the family dinner a few days following Danielle's funeral. She loves you, Marc. She wants you, Marc. Even though she may not want to get the picket fence and 2.3 kids and all that right now, she is settled on you being the person who is part of that future.

Wil: Frankly, I've been waiting on you to make the jump before considering if Sarah and I should advance our relationship into that territory. The trip we took last month to the Apostles, where it was only the two of us for five or six days, made me think about who I wanted beside me as I stepped into my career as a licensed therapist and professional psychologist. Actually, it was more about who I felt could handle the hours I'd work, the debriefing I'd need to do, and the at-times ugliness of the work. Sarah's that person for me, and although I still want to get with guys, I want to come home to her.

Sarah: You've never said that before, Wil. I always presumed you wanted me as a side thing and the guy chase was your main pursuit.

Marc: Remember what I told you a few months ago, that you needed to tell Sarah what you were thinking and wanting instead of believing that she wouldn't be on the same page as you. To my ears, this sounds like what you've been wanting potential suitors to allow only in reverse. Instead of a boyfriend/partner accepting your friends-with-benefits arrangement with Sarah, it would be Sarah allowing you to have a side guy.

Wil: That's what I guess I'm seeking. The ability to have connections with both men and women but also have that true heart connection with one person, and I don't think it matters which gender that person is anymore.

Sarah turned and faced Wil, then told him what she has desired for the past year or so.

Sarah: Wil, I want you. I don't care if you get a bit of wang now and again, although I would like you to not resort to the random pick-up. I probably will need some vajayjay myself on occasion, but I want to have you be the person I attempt to grow old with, with whom I might want to raise a family, who I can love with every part of myself. Will you have me?

Wil: I'm going to need to do some soul-searching over what you've said and what I am truly desiring before I can answer that. We can start that process tonight if you want to come back to my place after Dani's game.

Sarah: I'm good with that. Maybe we can actually talk out what each of us has been holding back.

Marc: Now, that wasn't so tough, was it? I take it I have your support to pursue Dani to the fullest.

Sarah and Wil: YES!

Marc paid the bill, then left followed by the other two. They drove up Port Washington Road the short distance to Trinity and checked in at the Field House, where Capital had defeated St. Olaf in straight sets (25-13, 25-17, 25-11) in the first match of the day and the Thunder was ahead of Augsburg two sets to one (28-26, 19-25, 25-22) in match two. Marc grabbed a seat next to Patrick Montoya, Paula and Kendra Rollins, and Kayla Simpson. The four of them caught him up on the first three sets, stressing the work done by their special ones on the team. Trinity's Big Three front line of Alanna Kemper, Katelyn Rollins, and Veronica Labelle was making scoring difficult for the Augies, helping their team rack up kills and points. With the score 17-12 in the fourth set, Jamie sent Claire Potter in, hoping her serving game could finish the match off in short order. Two aces, a service winner, and a pair of kills propelled the Thunder to a 22-12 advantage, forcing an Augsburg timeout. Katelyn and Alanna were lifted for Sydney Montoya and Whitney Carlson. Claire's next serve clipped the tape and fell over for an ace, with Sydney cleaning up a poorly-struck spike by Augsburg's middle hitter to bring the Thunder to match point. The crowd, like last night, started chanting "TLU! TLU!" after Claire's serve. The two teams staged a somewhat long rally, with several attempted kills, blocks, and a scramble or two. Augsburg went on to win the point to bring the score to 24-13 in Trinity's favor. The Augies' server, Jaelin Reardon, went for a jump-serve in an attempt for an ace, but overhit the ball and sent it long, giving Trinity the fourth set, 25-13, and the match three sets to one.

Before Marc left Buuck to head across the campus's main road to Niemoller Field, he was stopped by Abby Davidson who asked him if he knew whether Erin and Steph were planning to come to the Trinity/Capital match following the women's soccer game between the Thunder and Concordia-Chicago. He said that he'd check with them when he got to the field and have one of them drop her a text.

**********

The first half of the women's soccer match between the Thunder and the Concordia-Chicago Cougars was entertaining if not a bit farcical. A shross from Cali fooled the visiting goalkeeper and a lackluster attempt by her to push the ball out hit the top of the net to put Trinity ahead, 1-0. The Cougars leveled the match quickly through a gift from Dionne Powell, as her back pass to Emily Bowman was picked off by Alexis Johnson for an easy shot and goal. The Thunder re-took the lead before halftime, though, as Kim Libby stroked a free kick around Concordia's wall and just inside the right post.

In the second half, Concordia used their superior bench advantage (they carried 27 field players on their roster compared to 18 for TLU) to run a less-than-full-strength midfield (Carli and Allie were out spreading joy around town last night, while Cami was playing on a strained calf suffered in Wednesday's practice) ragged, amounting to a three-goal outburst in the first 25 minutes of the period. A consolation goal from Lexi on a well-struck pass from Maria Turco made the scoreline look more presentable, but didn't change the result as Trinity lost their conference opener, 4-3.

As Trinity players traveled from Niemoller Field to their locker room in Buuck, the growing frustration of Sara's reliance on Carli and Allie in spite of their lack of production and cohesion was beginning to build. Lexi, Jordan, Cali, and Kim were collectively decrying the situation while Dani continued to shake her head at her boss's hard-headedness toward both the on-field formation and the unimpressive performances from her team captain. Marc waited for Dani outside the team's locker room, hoping to give her a bit of encouragement and comfort before she left campus. Cali went into the gym and found Erin and Steph, along with Abby and Kayla, in the bleachers. Maria, Erica, and Amanda ducked their heads in and watched a couple of minutes of the match, which was in the second set. Capital took the first set, 25-21 and were ahead 8-6 when Elise Tyson's service winner closed the gap to one. The Crusaders and Thunder exchanged points and service for most of the rest of Set Two, but a small run led by Veronica and Alanna leveled the score at 23 with Sydney Montoya back to serve. She sent a floater to the back center player, who mishit her bump and sent the ball sliding out-of-bounds behind her. With set point in her hands, Sydney sent another floater across the net, which Capital collected and returned powerfully to the Thunder. Claire received the ball and passed it to Veronica, who sent a cross-court set to Katelyn which was slammed down the line to win the second set, 25-23.

During the brief intermission between sets three and four (Trinity won the third set, 25-22), Abby and Steph chatted.

Abby: You know Katelyn fairly well compared to most of us in PMA. How do I ask her out and get a yes?

Steph: Take some advice from Nike. Just Do It.

Abby: That easy?

Steph: Really, it is. She doesn't get much attention from the women because they don't seem to know how to approach her, in her opinion. Be yourself, offer to give her a lay of the land of the social work program here, and then go for it.

Abby: Like after the match?

Steph: Girl very much fancies the young lady, does she?

Abby: I do. Again, she seems like someone I'd have a chance with, unlike Julie or her girlfriend or a fair portion of the women's soccer team.

Capital came out of the short break with all cylinders firing and quickly won the fourth set, 25-11. With the Crusaders ahead 7-3 in the fifth set, Jamie called a timeout.

Jamie: Stretch out this changeover as long as you can, because it's really our only way to catch them and try to win the match. Win the side-out, then run off a couple of points. Play as though they're sitting on 19 instead of 7.

The Thunder returned to the floor and were able to regain serve from Capital. A floating serve from Sydney clipped the tape and fell over for an ace, making the score 7-5. Her next serve clipped the tape again, but fell over into the net and landed on the Trinity side of the court. The referee on the floor ruled service error, while the referee above the net ruled ace. The pair consulted with one another, as the play was one of the oddest either had seen. Jamie took advantage of the mini-timeout to calm her team down a little. After the refs consulted an online rules book and found no clear-cut answer, they resolved to have the point replayed and informed the two team captains of such. Sydney played a standard serve and, following a short rally, the Thunder picked up the point to close the gap to one. The next several points were the result of short runs by both teams. Capital landed a spike on the back line of Trinity's side of the court to make the score 14-12 and give themselves their first chance to serve for the match. A double block from Veronica and Alanna denied the Crusaders the win at first calling, putting the ball in Elise's hands to serve. A solid strike to the center back player was muffed, evening the score at 14. Both teams traded serve for the next six points, until Sydney was able to score off her serve to give Trinity an 18-17 lead and its first chance to win the match. She attempted her preferred floating serve, but didn't give it enough pop and it went into the net. Jamie chose to use her second timeout of the set at this point.

Jamie: Keep your cool, ladies. Capital hasn't kept serve the last six times they've had it, and I'm not expecting that to change now. Go on two if you get the chance, then I'll sub in Claire for Veronica and she can close out the match on her serve. Thunder on three. One, two, three.

ALL: THUNDER!

Capital served the ball, which was received by Elise in the back line and bumped forward to Katelyn, who instead of setting the ball behind her for Alanna to spike went up and drove the ball into the center of Capital's half of the court. Jamie made the substitution she mentioned in the timeout and Claire took a couple extra steps back from the line to have more running space to get maximum height on her jump serve. She struck the ball hard and it jumped off the arms of the receiving Crusader player, coming back over the net only to be drilled by Alanna straight down to win the match, three sets to two (21-25, 25-23, 25-22, 11-25, 20-18). The Thunder bench ran out onto the court to congratulate their teammates, then the two teams lined up to shake hands on either side of the net. Following a brief awards presentation, Steph and Erin came onto the floor and roughed up their newest favorite Trinity athlete with Abby watching from a few steps away. When she saw that things were calmed down, she then walked over and spoke to Katelyn.

Abby: Hey. Nice wins today, and congrats on making the All-Tournament team.

Katelyn: Thanks. This might sound odd, but can we get together sometime tomorrow so I can pick your brain over the social work program and what to expect this year and next?

Abby: How about we meet for dinner, my treat.

Katelyn: Like an actual date?

Abby blushed, then moved closer and whispered to Katelyn, "Exactly like a date", then pecked her cheek.


	30. The Common Good

A semi-restful day in Washington Heights awaited Marc as he awoke on Sunday morning. Dani would be stopping by around 10 for the two of them to work on plans for Monday evening's open house for the Urban Coaching Institute, with Erin, Steph, and Matt coming over closer to Noon. Cali was taking Matt with her to Greendale to see her parents and younger brother as the soccer schedule made today the first time since the start of the season that she'd have a free day to visit them.

Bearing gifts of lunch (a sub platter from Subway), Dani arrived at Marc's just after 10:00. She placed the food inside the refrigerator, then came out and plopped down against her man, curling up to him as he watched pregame programming ahead of the Green Bay Packers/Philadelphia Eagles game. Ever the inquisitive one, Marc asked her for an opinion about the Packers' future Hall-Of-Fame quarterback.

Marc: Do you think Aaron Rodgers ever settles down and leaves the crazy train of the Athletic-Entertainment relationship bubble?

Dani: I think he likes the notoriety. Hillary Scott, Olivia Munn, Danica Patrick. Where else can he develop crossover appeal that helps with the commercials?

Marc: I suppose it IS a help to his post-football career, but I'd rather see him find a good, stable accountant or librarian or research scientist. Anyhow, we need to lay out how tomorrow's open house will be handled. It runs 5-8pm, and I'm thinking it will be heavy for the first half or so, then really slow down as Trinity employees leave campus and night students go to their classes. Any suggestions on drawing in day students or athletes in that second half of the window?

Dani thought about Marc's question and recalled how she became aware of the UCP module while teaching in Shorewood, the result of a colleague receiving an email from one of her college classmates who had learned about it during an in-service at Milwaukee School of Languages, where she taught.

Dani: I can pitch it to my team after practice. We can mention it today to Erin and Steph and have them spread the word to their floor mates and teammates. Do we know if the eventual on-campus seminar will be allowed to satisfy requirements toward any of the teaching degrees?

Marc: It was provisionally approved to meet the first of the three in-class experiences teachers have, the "exposure and contact" one. I'd like to see it given greater standing, so that a student who takes it can count it toward half of their second teaching experience, the "observation and practice" one. The course is listed in both the undergraduate and graduate course catalogs, thus its content is in line with the 300-level designation that the second practicum is given. I'm also trying to encourage the Faculty Senate to restore and revamp the coaching certification that Concordia had on the books, where the two-semester seminar would cover half of the twelve credits, with the other six consisting of a two-credit introductory course and a selection of two-credit theory courses in specific sports of which students would need to take two.

Dani: You've thought this whole thing out a lot more since I presented the plan in April.

Marc: I've had to. Making the jump from running this enterprise from my basement and your living room to having it housed at TLU means it needs to walk like an academic department and talk like one. This also means your job is going to expand a bit once your season comes to an end. My grand plan is that we get more licensing agreements signed, which brings in more capital to expand your position, add in some additional part-time ones that can be funded as either contract work, work-study, or a paid internship, and request that Trinity offer benefits to its employees commensurate with their FTE statuses.

Dani: Would the expansion of my position get me to full-time status?

Marc: Based on my math, it will. I need to sit down with Ashley in HR to see how the coaching job and the UCI job measure up for a number that gets you either to 1.0 FTE or extremely close. This is the protection you would have if things go awry in the coaching biz.

Dani: And this is all legit, no special treatment because I'm giving you the best orgasms of your life?

Marc: It's all legit, darling. Dress for tomorrow should be less stunning than what you choose when we go out or are at a public event together. Any of the summer day outfits you wear when you're on-campus before practice will be fine.

Dani rolled over and pinned Marc against the arm rest, then attacked his lips with hers. Marc warned her that the kids could be showing up at any time, so she shouldn't take this passion session TOO far. The pair finished a bit of a dry grind against one another, then straightened up and moved into the kitchen to prepare lunch for the hungry college students who were about to invade.

Erin: Mom, Dad, we're home!!!!

Marc: Don't start that! We're not even DATING yet, or don't you remember that discussion?

Steph: We know you're locked at the hip, so stop trying to deny it.

Matt: Besides, if you weren't together, I'd have half a mind to try my charm on Dani.

Erin: Good grief, boy! You really WANT to challenge your uncle at something like that?

Marc came out and gave his goofy nephew a bit of the piss, telling him that he was no match for him in anything aside from not breaking bathroom mirrors. Dani came up behind Marc and wrapped her arms around his waist, then placed her chin on his shoulder.

Steph: Seriously, you think you'd have a chance with Deuce? You're more off your rocker than I or Erin thought you were.

Marc: Now, now, girls. Matt needs time and some help to get to my level. The time will come naturally, but the help needs to be dispensed in finite doses by us.

Everyone went into the kitchen and made up their plates, then returned to the living room to watch the Packers/Eagles game. Inspired first-half performances by Rodgers, Tim Montgomery, and Randall Cobb staked the home team to a 27-7 lead. During the halftime ceremony for Alumni Weekend, Matt saw someone on the screen he recognized.

Matt (to Erin and Steph): Isn't that one of your teammates?

Erin: Yeah. Looks like Ali and Corey went up for the game.

Marc: I'm SO glad she's gotten over the hump from last year and is now more confident to accept the good fortune of her birth.

Dani: You mean.....

Marc: Yes, Deuce. Ali Kramer is related to Packers Hall-of-Famer Jerry Kramer.

Matt jumped on that information and began to ponder how he could cross paths with her this week at school. Marc noticed his going quiet and knew he'd need to bring him back to Earth after the game.

Matt: By the way, girls, I got you some intel on the situation you mentioned to me last week. Didn't get much of a feel out of Billy for what he thought of your teammate who is maybe interested in him, but I learned his brother is a bit hung-up on one of the soccer team's players. Doesn't hurt that it looks like she and his sister are starting to become friendly.

Steph: He wants Lexi?

Matt: That #13, the blonde with the everything-in-the-right-places body?

Dani: I guess you could describe her like that. Yes, #13 is Lexi.

Erin: Despite our animosity toward her in the past, I really hope that this change in her demeanor and her attitude regarding her teammates' all-night carousing continues. Since Cam's a freshman, he probably doesn't know what happened last fall and sees her through a different lens than we do.

Marc: I'm thinking.....what you are describing is sort of a real-life example of what I've been saying in worship the last couple of weeks and what Matt called me out on recently. We're hesitant to offer a second chance to people because we're worried about having a repeat of what happened previously. We also feel justified in warning others of someone's less-than-positive qualities so they don't experience the hurt or frustration we have in dealing with the individual. We don't take into account that, just like we're not always friends with certain people who are close to our buddies and loved ones, others might have a different view of a person that allows them to see the positives and accept the negatives.

Dani: Would that be like how the four of us put up with you despite you're always being tuned to WII-FM radio and your ability to torch someone's rear end just for kicks?

Matt: WII-FM? What channel is that?

Marc: It's not an actual station. WIIFM stands for "What's In It For Me".

Erin: Yeah, like your response when we asked you to help us out with getting Billy's impression of Danny.

Marc: And yes, my dear, that would be synonymous with how people deal with and tolerate me. The good qualities that make me endearing also require them to accept my narc tendencies.

The Packers won, 41-17. Erin and Steph went up to her room to do some academic work before dinner, which tonight would be homemade pizza. Matt and Marc took a walk down to Fred's for custard and so he could give his nephew some actual on-campus leads for who he knew was available. When they returned, they saw Dani watching Illinois Tech's game against Rockford University, as the Thunder would be facing the Chicago-based Scarlet Hawks at home on Wednesday.

**********

Abby stopped by Katelyn's room at 2:00 to see if she wanted to start their date early. Katelyn was horribly unprepared and asked Abby to give her a few minutes to tidy herself up. Once ready, the two of them left campus to go to Glaze, a paint-your-own-pottery shop ten minutes southwest of Trinity. While at the shop, the pair talked about their upbringings and how they contributed to the decision to consider social work as a career. Katelyn mentioned her dad's influence and how she saw the counseling side of his job being a good fit for her personality, while Abby shared how watching her own father deal with PTSD and mental illness following his multiple tours in the Persian Gulf gave her a good picture of the impact social workers and therapists could have on the day-to-day existence of their clients. She also confessed that her choice of activity for the day was a bit selfish in that she needed to brush up on her art skills for one of the practicum rotations she would have in Spring. Afterwards, they went to Chuck's Place up the road for dinner. Katelyn was a lot less chatty, as her nerves of being on an actual date with someone kept her guarded. Over the meal, Abby was able to get her to open up by remembering a tactic she learned in peer ministry training earlier in the year, which was opening herself up to the person in the hope of getting a response. Katelyn loosened up by the time they left Chuck's to return to campus. They spent a few more minutes talking outside Augsburg and recapping the night.

Abby: I hope you had a good time. I thought asking you out was going to be difficult since I hadn't really done that before, but Steph gave me some advice and then you jumped in and took the pressure off me by wanting to get together for school-related reasons.

Katelyn: I had a wonderful time. I'm all new to the dating game because I was too busy with sports in high school to have time for it. You know, you're kind of cute, but in a non-threatening way.

Abby: Funny you should say that, because that's the description I gave Julie Jacobsen when she asked if I was interested in you, that you looked so cuddly and non-threatening that I thought I'd have a chance.

Katelyn smiled at Abby, then leaned down and kissed her cheek. "Call me?"

Abby: Sure, but it might be a couple of days. Don't want to seem too eager.

Katelyn blew Abby a kiss before walking into Augsburg and then went up to Steph and Alyssa's room to debrief with them about the date.

Alyssa: Hi, Katelyn! Steph and Erin are still at Marc's, but I'm here. What's up?

Katelyn: I just got back from dinner and pottery with Abby. We sort of asked each other out after the tournament yesterday. Can I ask you sort of a personal question?

Alyssa: Fire away.

Katelyn: How did you deal with Kristie being interested in you?

Alyssa: I was nervous about it, because she comes off as a bit of a player. When she confided things in me that I could tell made her unhappy with the situation she was in with Sam and Steph McNamara, I let my heart lead and took the risk of caring about her. I know I could have been setting myself up for some serious heartbreak, but watching others around campus the first couple of weeks last year showed me that staying guarded would have been a bad idea.

Katelyn: I guess I don't know how I feel just yet. I gave you and Steph my background on the dating front, so I'm really new to this thing. She's cute, she's non-threatening, we have the same major, and she actually likes me.

Steph and Erin walked in and greeted the two women in the room.

Alyssa: Can you help me help our girl here? Abby and her went out and she's all confused about what to make of it.

Erin: She's definitely into you. When her and Steph were talking in the stands during the match against Capital yesterday, she wanted to know how to ask you out and get a yes, since she was planning to do it afterwards.

Steph: If you look around our floor, you will see a number of other pairings that are similar to you and her. Alyssa and Kristie, Erin and I, Emma and Savannah, and now Sam and Hayley. How do you feel when you think of her?

Katelyn: That's the thing. I don't know how I feel, or what I should feel. She did most of the talking while we were at dinner, because I was worried about saying something wrong. Is this common?

Erin: First, did you respond in kind once she took the lead on the conversation?

Katelyn: Yeah. She'd tell me a story or something about her or her brother or more about her dad's war experience and I'd respond.

Erin, Steph, and Alyssa all nodded at hearing that, knowing what their fellow peer minister did.

Alyssa: Guess the boss's words carry some weight around here, because we act upon them even when he's nowhere in sight.

Erin: The know and be known thing?

Steph: Right. To get to your question, Kate, there is a level of guardedness that women like us three have when it comes to those with a certain "cute" factor, that they're being less-than-genuine with us when they declare their interest. Some women go overboard in showing it, like Shelley, and can scare you off, but most don't. We're led to believe that we can't get someone like that, so our first response is to think, "This must be a trick".

Katelyn: Right. Being unfamiliar with how relationships start or develop or happen, I'm operating with a bit of skepticism over her intentions.

Steph: Take it from me, she's interested and in more than just a superficial way.

Erin: Even XP has been in the position of not believing what his eyes were seeing. Dani had to somewhat convince him of her true motives before he allowed himself to act upon what he felt for her.

Katelyn: Next weekend, can we possibly do a triple?

Alyssa: It would have to be Friday, since Dani's birthday party is Saturday and Kristie is planning to use that night to get Steph and Danny to spill their beans on one another.

Steph: Care if we add Julie and Christen? Might help Abby to have a bit of support along for the ride.

Katelyn: I'm good with that.

Erin: One of us will talk to Julie tomorrow after our Super Six meeting to pass along the invite and have her get Abby into the circle.

Steph: Alyssa and I will work out the details tonight or tomorrow before Super Six.

Katelyn: Thanks, all of you. I think I'm the only one of the Big Girls not to have someone at the moment, and I hope that may change in the near future.

Katelyn hugged everyone before she left for her room and a few hours of studying before bed.


	31. Full Throttle

Monday's Super Six meeting with Marc started with a celebration of Erin's victory before the SGA in establishing Lutheran Student Movement as a separate entity from the Peer Ministry Alliance. The group then went on to discuss how to best utilize the two entities to cover the religious needs of their student body. Julie, as titular head of residence hall ministry, felt that her area along with that of student chaplaincy needed to remain with PMA, but the day-to-day activity of campus ministry should be the primary responsibility of LSM. After allowing the students to debate the subject for a bit, Marc expressed his opinion on the matter.

Marc: We're breaking new ground here, because no ELCA college or university before us has attempted to expand the reach of campus ministry beyond that of the chaplain's office. As such, you can choose whatever direction you wish to take it. The split you've mentioned and seem to believe is the right move is pretty close to how you would see leadership and membership operate on a secular campus. There is a little bit of overlap, with the leadership still involved in how things concerning the day-to-day go, but they're not having to be everywhere all the time and new leaders rise up from the rest of the "congregation". Actually, we're in pretty good shape to have this split take place, as we can assign several people from our group of 14 to function as LSM's initial leaders. I want to keep all six of you under my umbrella, but I will need one of you to act as a liaison between the two bodies. Given the split of duties we have in our ranks, it's between Erin and Corey for the role.

Erin: I thought we had worked that part out before we left in May, that Cali and I would oversee LSM.

Marc: It's possible we did.

Corey: If I may. I'd like to take an active role with LSM being that I don't really have one within PMA, Marc, other than being one of your first peer ministers and a fallback person for when things need to get done.

Marc: Erin, think you can show both Cali and Corey the ropes of out-front leadership so they can eventually take over the charge of LSM and I can have you remain with the rest of the office pack?

Erin: Sure. That was the plan with respect to Cali, to get her up to speed this semester so she could in effect take over from me when lacrosse season hits.

With seemingly no objections, the meeting was adjourned and the students went on to their afternoon classes.

**********

In the basement of Rincker Memorial Library laid the temporary home of the Urban Coaching Institute, which was hosting an open house to bring awareness to the university community of its presence. Marc arrived and set-up at 4:30, with Dani joining him around 5:30, following soccer practice. Like he predicted, there was a solid flow of people during the first hour, including professors from the School of Education who were interested in how the Urban Coaching Module mirrored other theory of education courses the school had in their curriculum. Dani spent most of her time early on giving first-hand accounts of how the material helped her in building a philosophy for coaching that built upon her education degree while also providing a different perspective from which to see student-athlete achievement and the litany of obstacles they may face. Marc was more engaged with students and staff in explaining the longer-term plans for the institute, which included the two-semester seminar and the desire to offer a coaching certification in conjunction with the Department of Physical Education. Ben Oliphant stopped by and took some of the informational materials Marc, planning to distribute them to his Principal cohort on Wednesday night and use them to gain approval from the School of Education's Curriculum Committee for cross-listing the seminar, giving students practicum credit for it, and the coaching certification joint venture.

A dull final hour allowed Dani and Marc to bat around ideas for coaching clinics that would coincide with selected home athletic events. Shortly before 8:00, a number of student-athletes came in and were treated to a ten-minute introduction of the Urban Coaching Module by the pair. Their contact information was collected so Dani could keep them informed about happenings at the institute, including registration information for the seminar next fall. Once the students left, the two of them packed up and left Rincker, with Marc walking Dani to her car. He praised her for how she did with the various constituencies that stopped in to see them. She told Marc that his confidence and faith in her made it easy to step forward and show her intelligence and skill.

Marc: I never thought working with you would be like this, a somewhat seamless operation. I always felt you would be wonderful in the job, which is why I placed opportunities for growth into the original contract, but you've surpassed what I was expecting. If I don't say it enough, I appreciate what you do in the background to help me manage all my roles here.

Dani: There's a word for what I do and why I do it. It's love. I love you beyond words, Marc, and I want to share in your accomplishments, even contribute to them.

Marc looked down for a second, then returned his eyes to Dani and gave her a quick kiss on the lips before they both drove away from campus.

**********

On Tuesday morning, Marc was greeted at his office by Gavin, with the athletic director looking none too pleased with the chaplain. After they entered, Gavin began to lay out his list of complaints.

Gavin: Deacon Schmidt, I told Bishop Emerson last fall that you were to keep your nose and hands out of how I ran the athletic department. I also remember telling you the same thing around the same time. Apparently, you have a problem with your memory or your hearing, because I have come to find out there are staff members in the department who are giving you information which has been passed along to the ELCA's CFO, causing her to run an audit on our department and to then come up here on Friday so that the pair of you could oppose my attempt to fix a serious wrong on this campus.

Marc: First, Gavin, I had a conversation with Paul right after your veiled threat and he assured me that, in HIS opinion, I was doing what was proper given my experience and knowledge. Second, I have NOT attempted to usurp your authority with anyone in the athletic department. I have been getting rumors slung at me from several corners of campus regarding serious offenses being committed by members of Trinity Lutheran athletics, both staff and athletes. I have utilized my connections within the department and the ELCA as a whole to determine whether these allegations are true and, if so, who might be doing the dirty dealing. At the present time, nothing has been corroborated by those on the inside nor has enough proof of wrong-doing leaked out for me to ask President Garrett to allow for an investigation into the matter. Rev. Bailey's role in all of this has been to follow the money trail and see if it leads anywhere other than the expected destination. As for you seeking to correct a serious wrong, that is a load of Grade-A penguin pucks!

Gavin: Connections.....Is that just a fancy way of saying that you're boffing one of the coaches and getting her to cough up lies so you can come after me because you want my job?

Marc: That statement is ludicrous. I have been a widower for less than five months, which is clearly not enough time to move through the grieving process and return to the dating game. As for connections, I will admit that I know at least three members of the department because of my previous stops in life. Additionally, I am mentoring Coach Hawthorne using parts of my Urban Coaching Module and Coach Krueger related to her appointment as Associate Chaplain.

Gavin: I would like to see this "Urban Coaching Module" to determine if what you're teaching is consistent with best practices of NCAA-affiliated athletics.

Marc: Last evening, the Urban Coaching Institute held an open house in Rincker where you would have been able to ask all the questions you wanted. I don't recall seeing you there.

Gavin: So you want to be AD, chaplain, AND an academic professional?! IS there NO job you don't feel entitled to?!

Marc took a couple of deep breaths before he lit the fuse in his brain and responded to Gavin.

Marc: Mr. Winchester, while you were kissing up to coaches and university muckety-mucks to rise the ranks, I was busy RUNNING a high-level amateur sports organization. I didn't take the easy road to get where I am. I busted my A$$ day in, day out, wanting more than anything to shut up privileged smarm pitchers like yourself. Now, I am quite aware of the prostitution ring you and Sara Manning have been leading from within the auspices of her team and the department as a whole. Add onto that the hush money you paid Lauren Heberlein to keep that secret from being spread. If I find ANY proof that I can take to the police, I will not waste a second in doing so. Do NOT cross me, not now, not EVER, or you will be facing a WORLD of pain. Capiche?!

Gavin: If you come for me, you better take me out, because if you don't, I will have you run out of here without so much as a too-da-loo.

Marc: If I come after you, it will be with a full arsenal and you won't walk away from the encounter. I. WILL. DESTROY. YOU. Now, I suggest you get back to doing your job, while you still have one.

Gavin, at a loss for words, left Marc's office, after which he closed the door and took a few minutes of quiet time. Once the adrenaline had subsided, he called Bishop Emerson and told him what had happened. Paul told Marc that he should take the rest of the day off, head off to the driving range, and get rid of the anger and frustration. He also asked about Friday's Board of Trustees meeting and was told that he and Rev. Bailey had raised enough questions to have the Board table Gavin's request until the October meeting along with a requirement that he be forthcoming about his long-term plans for the department. After hanging up with Paul, Marc left his office and campus for the day.


	32. Reining In The Storm

Marc returned to Trinity on Wednesday morning in a better mood, ready to lead worship and watch the women's soccer team attempt to even their conference record against the newest member of the NACC, the Illinois Tech Scarlet Hawks. His email inbox was heavier than normal due to Monday's open house, continued requests for the Homecoming dance, and blind carbon copies he received of communication between Kara and Gavin, Kara and Alex, and Jamie, Gavin, and Casey. He also had gotten an email from Cali with a list of players on her team that she suspected of being part of the prostitution ring along with the two basketball players her boyfriend Matt had overheard discussing matters over lunch one day. Marc printed out her list and placed it in the growing file of rumors, scuttlebutt, and supposition he had collected over the past year.

**********

Erin and Steph were in the sacristy preparing for worship when Marc arrived just after 11am. While the three of them worked on vesting for the service, the chaplain had a short talk with the others about yesterday's happening and today's message.

Marc: Did either of you hear about Mad Dog's appearance on campus yesterday?

Erin: Who did you light up, pops?

Marc: The athletic director. He was waiting for me at my office when I got to campus in a not-so-pleasant mood. He went on to warn me again about overstepping my boundaries into the day-to-day happenings of his department, even attempting to mock me for ignoring his first threat concerning it.

Steph: Uh-oh. I don't like where this is headed.

Marc: He also questioned the purpose of Alex Bailey's audit in April, which I told him had to do with the amount of rumor-mongering student-athletes were doing about serious offenses being committed by his office. I also explained how I had such access to what was happening in athletics, including my mentoring of Sarah and Jamie. Some more back-and-forth happened and he accused me of first wanting his job, then wanting every job I could get at Trinity. That's what set me off. I railed on him about the prostitution ring and his pay-off of your former coach to stay quiet about it. I didn't bring up what happened at Churchwide, but I have no doubt that Sara Manning and Carli Lowe had something to do with it.

Erin: Sounds like he earned your wrath.

Marc: He did, because I've been sitting on this pile of incendiary information for as long as a year and haven't been able to get a spark that would set it on fire. How I went about it, I could have done it another way, and that is what today's homily will touch upon, how we as imperfect humans lash out without having all the facts and what it does for relationships beyond the one between the torcher and the torched.

Steph: That description makes me think you have some video evidence to back up what you're going to say.

Marc; Video, no. I WILL be pulling out a big pop-culture reference that the older set will understand but you kids might not get, but I also think I can work in another one that will be up your alley. Are we ready?

Erin: Lead the way, captain!

Marc exited the sacristy first, followed by Erin and Steph carrying the bread and wine. The pews today were fairly full, with a larger-than-normal contingent of faculty and staff. Following Steph's reading of the day's Lectionary passages, Marc stepped to the lectern and began his message.

Marc: As we continue with this year's theme of redemption, I want to touch on a subject that very few if any of us consider when thinking about second chances. What do you do when YOU'RE the one in need of forgiveness, of redemption, of a second chance? Yesterday, the Mad Dog portion of my personality came out and I verbally tore apart a fellow staff member. Word of this occurrence seems to have made its way around campus, as I see a sizable number of faculty and staff members in attendance. Contrary to popular belief, life is not like a made-for-TV movie, where a person makes a major mistake that ends up being forgiven by the end of it. Sometimes, we hurt people so deeply that it takes months or years to eventually get past what happened. We also have the potential to affect ancillary relationships when mutual acquaintances, friends, or relatives come to learn of one's misdeed. In this mile-a-minute world where we live, no one spends the time to delve into the circumstances of what happened and thus people take their first hearing of an incident as completely accurate. Remember I mentioned a couple of weeks ago how self-forgiveness was the first step toward granting it to others. It is also the first step in seeking out others' forgiveness of you. This week, I'd like everyone to think about who they may have harmed recently, either intentionally or by accident, then seek to make amends as best as you can. It will help to build a stronger community at Trinity, because it will be brought forth by stronger individuals. Amen.

**********

During Lunch Bunch, several of the peer ministers planned their four-couple date for Friday night, with Steph and Alyssa asking around the table for restaurant suggestions in the area.

Casey: What type of place are you seeking? Upscale? Homey? I'm guessing you want something other than the regular haunts.

Alyssa: Preferably. There are only so many times you can do a date night at some of the places we go and have it remain a special occasion.

Dani: My best friend and I did Sweetest Day last year at Calderone Club in Fox Point. There's also the Anchorage, connected to the Holiday Inn at Hampton and Port Washington.

Julie: Christen and I went to Calderone as well for Sweetest Day. Never been to the Anchorage.

Cali: It's nice. While the lacrosse team was away on Spring break, Dani, Michelle, and I went there for dinner.

Steph: What's the general menu there?

Dani: It's not extensive, but most everyone can find something on it. The entrees are mostly seafood, but they also offer burgers and sandwiches, plus beef and chicken offerings.

Marc: Never eaten there because I always thought it was seafood-only and too upscale in comparison to other places in the area.

Abby: Sounds like a good choice for a fancier date than what Katelyn and I did on Sunday.

Alyssa: When we did something like this last year, Kristie had the idea that we all go thrifting to find new clothes for the evening.

Steph: I remember. Everyone looked great with what they had found and I doubt anyone spent more than $10 or $15 on their outfits.

Katelyn: I'll probably need one of you to point me at where the second-hand shops are around here, since I'm fairly new to the Milwaukee area as a whole.

Alyssa: You free after practice tomorrow? Maybe you, I, and Steph can go out together. Dani, if you have time or desire, come with. We could probably use some outside advice on what we see, including the potential for upcycling some of the items.

Marc: Don't forget that in two weeks or so, we have the 80s Prom Homecoming dance, so you might want to look for something for that as well. Speaking of that, I still need to ask Matty Boy if he'll be my assistant.

Erin: Serious?! Why would you want to give him that platform to be straight-up obnoxious?

Steph: Really, Marc. I can't see that working out too well.

Marc: I'm planning to use a bit of inverted thinking to get him to rise to the occasion. By placing him in a public, semi-responsible position, he'll be on display for good and for bad, and I'm sure he won't want to embarrass me or himself. Second, by letting him see how I do what I do, maybe he learns a few things about getting admiration and the like without begging for it.

Dani, Cali, and Katelyn left to go to Buuck and prepare for their day's matches (women's volleyball would play at Dominican University that evening). Several others moved on to their 2:00 classes, leaving Marc, Cameron, and Casey as the last ones in Siebert. Before they split up, Casey told Marc that Ashley was looking to get the ex-MUSCers together next Thursday. Marc told her to drop him an email with time and location once all was confirmed. He then asked Cam if he wanted to sit with him and Matt at the women's soccer game, to which he said yes. Marc went back to his office to do a bit of work before he'd walk over to Niemoller for the game in about an hour.

**********

Matt Olson and Matt Belling were already in the stands at Niemoller Field when Cameron and Marc arrived. Marc had been texted the starting lineup by Dani and so began discussing it with Mike Millen, Roger Hubbard, and Diane Powell.

Trinity: Emily Bowman; Robyn Gaines, Erica Skidmore, Cassie Kingston; Allie Lerner, Amber Bryant, Carli Lowe, Amanda Hutton; Cali Farmer, Lexi Millen, Raquel Rivera.

Marc: According to what Coach Dillon texted me, it looks like the midfield is finally going to have some balance. Allie, Amber, Carli, and Amanda in there. None of them are wingers, so it's either a box or a skinny diamond, which definitely means at least one of them will be sitting in front of Erica.

Mike Millen: Maybe we won't end up in a shootout like Saturday.

Diane Powell: Or get run over like Oshkosh did to us last week.

Roger Huitema: Is Jordan starting?

Marc: No. Lexi is at the 9 with Cali and Raquel playing the wings.

Roger: She out of favor?

Marc: I don't think so. Lexi and her are a good combination, but aren't always the right mix for a given game. As Sara seems to want to control possession and protect the back line some, having a target in the middle isn't as necessary as having a poacher or a creative forward like Lexi.

The two Matts came down and joined Cameron and Marc. Marc introduced the three of them to the players' parents and gave them a small bit of information.

Mike: Cameron, is your sister filming today's game?

Cameron: No. She's editing some interviews from the last couple of weeks for Thunder Media, who plan to put them on the TLU Athletics website.

Mike: Are you a mass comm major like her and Lexi?

Cameron: I'm undecided at the moment. Could go that route, but also thinking about a career that might have a greater impact on society than being a photojournalist would, not that there aren't possibilities to do both.

Erin and Steph joined the group and were given Marc's opinion on the first XI. The pair gave Matt Olson a bit of trouble, wondering who he was checking out from the Thunder. Before everyone turned their attention to the match, Marc asked his nephew about helping him with the Homecoming dance. Matt jumped at the opportunity to get what he thought would be cred within the campus community and perhaps drawing some female attention his way.

The opening ten minutes of the first half played out quite differently from the Thunder's previous two matches, as control of the midfield was firmly in their hands. Amber made an aggressive tackle on a Scarlet Hawk player, then hopped up and passed the ball onto Amanda, who moved it up field to Raquel who had checked back. A lateral pass to Carli was swung to the right side of the field where Cali took the ball in stride and blitzed past her opponent before crossing it into the box. Lexi let the ball cross her body before hitting a strike back across the goalkeeper and into the net to give Trinity an early lead. Emily didn't see a lot of work until Sara brought in Dionne for Cassie and Maria for Robyn, dropping Amber into the back line and pushing Erica out to the right. From there, the sophomore goalkeeper was kept somewhat busy but managed to save all attempts on her net. As the first half entered its final minute, a cross from Raquel was knocked out of play for a corner kick. Maria and Dionne came up from the back to provide some additional targets for the upcoming set piece. Raquel's corner kick swung outward and was hit square on by Dionne's head, forcing a reaction save from Illinois Tech's goalkeeper. The ball was sent upward instead of outward, allowing for Jordan out-jump her mark and head it into the goal for a 2-0 Thunder lead.

The Scarlet Hawks came out to start the second half with a renewed sense of purpose, trimming the Thunder's lead to one and having several other attempts to level the match. Amanda moved back to play alongside Amber and dictated possession as the front five ripped through their opponent's defensive structure. Carli picked up a goal in the 56th minute, with Makenna finishing off a free kick from Kim on 72 minutes. Six minutes later, as Kim tore her way past both Scarlet Hawk center backs, she was hauled down from behind in the box and Trinity was awarded a penalty kick. Amber stepped up and buried the ball into the left side of the net to finish off the scoring for the Thunder in a well-played 5-1 win, bringing them back over .500 at 4-3-1 and 1-1 in the NACC.

**********

One by one, players from the victorious Thunder women's soccer team exited Niemoller Field and were greeted by their individual cheering sections. Erin and Steph smushed Cali, while Mike and Roger congratulated their daughters on their first-half goals. Dani went over to Marc and the two discussed the match briefly before exchanging a fist bump and her heading to Buuck. A few minutes later, Marc and Cameron walked over to the athletic center with the two Matts to wait for the players to finish their business and come out of the locker room. Cali was out early and made a beeline to her Matt, accepting his embrace and affection. When Lexi walked out and saw Cameron, she walked over and asked where Tori was. He informed her and, with Mr. Slick and his mini-me behind him, asked her to be his date for the Homecoming dance on October 5th. Just as she was about to answer, Jordan pulled her away and dragged her toward the entrance to Stuenkel. As she was about to disappear from sight, Lexi yelled back to the crowd, "Yes!"


	33. A Bargain At Any Price

Alyssa and Steph were in their room getting ready for their four-couple date at the Anchorage. Steph was sitting on her bed putting on her shoes when Alyssa asked her a serious question.

Alyssa: Do you think about life with Erin after Trinity, like how you want things to be once you both graduate?

Steph: I do. We're still 2 1/2 years away from that point right now, and have yet to even start discussing what might be in our futures both professionally and academically, but the thoughts are there.

Alyssa: So you know she's the one?

Steph: Pretty sure. Of course, her still wanting to be the one depends on keeping our teammate Shelley in check. I wish we could find her someone so she'd stop thinking she can wrestle me away from Erin. Not sure I should disclose this to anyone, but I already have Erin's ring for when the time comes.

Alyssa: WHAT?!?!

Steph: Relax, girlfriend. Before I left for summer break, Marc pulled me aside and handed me Danielle's engagement ring, saying they wanted it to go to Erin after she passed away. My dad has it stored in a safe deposit box at his bank. When I'm ready to propose, we'll retrieve it and go to a jeweler to create a new setting for it.

Alyssa turned around and, once Steph stood up, the two of them gave each other the once-over.

Steph: I like your dress! So much more form-fitting and feminine than what I saw you wearing last year.

Alyssa: I've had some help in the past few months. One, I've toned up some, so the out-sized parts are firmer. Kristie and Amanda have both been helps in getting me to be more girly. Then there's Dani. You're looking, well, like yourself.

Steph: I REALLY wanted to find something like what I wore for the All-Sports Mixer, but the turnaround time for tonight was too short to do more than look for something in my size that I could pair with my favorite dress shoes.

Alyssa: To answer my own question, I'm starting to think about Kristie and I and the future. I'm into the second half of my degree program and already have the candidacy hurdle cleared, so I should start considering where to do my M.Div. and whether I go immediately for it or wait a year so we can relocate together or some other option.

Steph: You still have time, and I'm sure any of our spiritual gurus or life coaches will help you if you ask for some guidance or an ear to chew on.

A knock came at their door and Alyssa went to answer it. Erin and Katelyn entered the room and complimented the two occupants on their attire.

Erin: Bae, lovely as always. So you, but also, ALL MINE!

Steph giggled, then looked Erin over and responded.

Steph: And you, fair maiden, can't be any more charmingly beautiful. A bit more casual than I'm used to when we go out, but I know you like taking advantage of the warm weather to wear your summertime outfits as late into the year as possible.

Erin got on her toes and laid a peck on Steph's lips, which she teasingly returned.

Alyssa (to Katelyn): Girl are you SMOKIN'! Now I can see the difference the three inches make in terms of how you and I are able to dress.

Katelyn: You look really good yourself. Get some help from Coach Dillon?

Alyssa: A little, but my off-season workouts helped my body tone up so I'm becoming more comfortable in form-fitting clothes.

The four of them left Steph and Alyssa's room and walked down the hall to the elevator, where they were eventually greeted by Julie and Christen.

Down in the lobby, Abby was waiting for the Augsburg residents to show up. Once they exited the elevator, she got a look at Katelyn and stood slightly agape at what was before her eyes.

Julie: Looks like we're going to need to fan Abby down.

Abby threw Julie a look that was part "very funny...." and part "if you only knew....". When the group got to where Abby was, Erin and Julie gave Abby resounding approval for sticking with her natural style instead of trying to be someone she wasn't. Abby and Katelyn awkwardly exchanged a hug as their three-inch height difference was closer to six tonight because of the women's choices in footwear. The shorter woman whispered in her date's ear, "If I hadn't already been taken by your beauty, how you look tonight would have done it." She then left a kiss on her cheek and backed away.

Julie: Someone's got heart eyes going on.

Abby stuck her tongue out at Julie while Katelyn turned to Alyssa and bit her lip. Kristie came into Augsburg as dramatic as one would expect given her fashionable lateness. After getting the Mueller Seal of Approval on their outfits, the eight of them left the residence hall and walked to the parking garage near Schreiber Stadium to pile into Erin and Alyssa's cars for the trip south for dinner.

**********

Over dinner, Abby and Katelyn asked the other three couples about their getting-together stories, as the sparks that were slightly ignited on Sunday had caught a bit of fire in the ensuing five days. Aside from Julie, none of the others were overly familiar with Abby, which Erin sought to rectify.

Erin: Abby, most of us don't really know you, so let me solve that. Where are you originally from?

Abby: I was born in Pennsylvania, but my parents moved to Milwaukee when I was three, I think. Grew up on the east side, near Lake Park.

Christen: Ooooo.....so parents are in the bucks, then?

Abby: Not really. My mom was hired at Hartford Avenue School as a guidance counselor and my dad's firm relocated him to its office in Cedarburg. We live just east of the UWM campus on Hackett and Hampshire.

Christen: Gotcha. Was thinking when you said Lake Park more like Newberry and Lake Drive.

Abby: God no! So you're from here?

Christen: Yeah. A couple of blocks west of the Milwaukee/Wauwatosa border on Washington Blvd.

Abby: Went to East, then?

Christen: Yes. Where did you go after Hartford, since I'm assuming you went there for K-8?

Abby: Rufus King.

Erin, Christen, and Alyssa all shook their heads.

Abby: What?!

Erin: Be glad a certain individual isn't aware of that or he'd be prone to skewer you something fierce.

Abby: Who's that?

Erin: Deacon Schmidt. Graduated from and coached at Riverside.

Abby: Oh boy.....promise me this remains a secret, then, at least until after the shellacking our football team took last night blows over?

Steph: We'll protect you, don't worry. Anyways, onto more interesting questions. When do you plan to propose to Katelyn?

Katelyn nearly choked on her salad and Abby took a large drink from her water glass to shake off the impact of Steph's inquiry.

Abby: You're quick with the call to the altar. Trying to line up your first ceremony to officiate?

Kristie: You two are so cute together, like Erin and Steph.

Abby: Steph said that when she learned from Julie about my interest in her.

Katelyn: I think, if that were to happen, it'd be a fight between Steph, Alyssa, and my dad for who would have the honors. OR, if I wait long enough, I could do it myself.

Alyssa laughed at the thought of Katelyn officiating her own wedding, with perhaps someone standing in for her next to Abby to take the vows. Once the bill was paid, the group left the restaurant with plans to hit Kopp's on the way back to campus. As they were walking to their cars, Katelyn saw her teammate Sydney Montoya and two other women heading toward the hotel entrance. Kristie and Alyssa noticed the latter's former roommate, Carli Lowe, with the freshman volleyball player and presumed the purpose of their visit, planning to share that knowledge with the others over dessert.

**********

Lindsay and Julie had a quiet night in, catching up on "Live PD" and debriefing from the first few weeks of the term.

Julie: I don't see you studying much. Classes going well?

Lindsay: So far, so good. Nothing right now that I don't already have background in. You?

Julie: No struggles as of yet. When do you start preseason?

Lindsay: October 1. First game is the 25th against Gustavus Adolphus College.

Julie: So it's getting close. Nervous?

Lindsay: More excited than nervous. The good thing about hockey is that there aren't a lot of missed classes versus some of the other sports. Meet anyone yet who you'd like to pursue?

Julie: Not particularly. Right now, I'm being a bit cautious about it, waiting for an approach rather than sticking my neck out. What about yourself?

Lindsay: Maybe. There's this guy I've seen around the hall. Mixture of stupid-funny and over-the-top insane. Haven't tried to talk to him yet. I've noticed that he's friends of some sort with a number of your teammates.

Julie: Which ones?

Lindsay: Erin and Steph Lafleur, for sure.

Julie thought about it and wondered if she could be referring to Matt, the chaplain's nephew.

Julie: If you have interest, ask them for some info.

Lindsay: Good idea. They're out tonight with some of our floor mates, and did all of them look GOOD! If I broke that way, I would have been quite tempted.

A text came to Julie's phone from an unidentified number, asking if she was available to help out with tonight's alumni gatherings. She read it, then quickly deleted it and turned off her phone. Lindsay asked her about the text, which she said was a wrong number.

**********

Tori was working on the edit of her interview with Erin, Steph, and Alyssa when she had to make a bathroom run. While walking back to her room, she heard some noise coming out of Lexi and Jordan's room and thought tonight would be a good time to sit down with his brother's Homecoming date and get her impressions of him and fill in a few blanks to help Cameron's cause. She went back to her room briefly to close up her laptop and put a note on her door's whiteboard, then went over to the soccer players' room. Jordan answered the door and let Tori in.

Lexi: Tori! What brings you by?

Tori: I would like to discuss with you my brother Cameron. I heard that he asked you to the Homecoming dance after the game against Illinois Tech and he thought you might have said yes while your roommate was dragging you away. Can you clarify?

Lexi: Yes, he asked me, and I did give him a yes, even though Jordan was doing everything short of clamping my mouth shut to stop me.

Jordan: I was just looking out for you, Lex. Dude seemed to have a big posse with him when he approached you.

Lexi: Posse, schmosse. The guys that you were trying so hard to yank me away from were the chaplain's nephew Matt, Cali's boyfriend who is also a Matt, and Deacon Schmidt himself.

Jordan: Didn't recognize him in "regular people" clothes.

Tori: Back to Cam. He's had his eye on you since the All-Sports Mixer and has been taking advice from some of the other men around here, including the three you mentioned, on how to find the nerve to talk to you beyond directions from behind the camera.

Lexi: I realize that he's a bit shy, which is why I was pleasantly surprised when he brought his support system with him to Buuck after Wednesday's game.

Tori: He's very different than our twin brother, Billy. More studious, even-tempered, and much more interested in being the steady hand of confidence, pride, and devotion than the life of the party.

Lexi: For meeting him several times and agreeing to be his date for the dance, I don't know much about him. Can you fill in some details for me?

Tori: Yes, and I hope you can give me some info to share with him.

A knock came to the door, which Lexi answered.

Emma: Is Tori here? I saw on her whiteboard she was coming to talk to you.

Lexi: Yeah. Come in.

Emma entered and introduced herself officially to Lexi and Jordan.

Tori (to Emma): Another road trip for field hockey?

Emma: Yep. This conference situation they have is pretty messy. The team is stuck in a league with schools from Kentucky, Tennessee, and Arkansas while they wait for enough colleges around here to start programs so they can form a conference of their own. Am I interrupting anything?

Lexi: No. I was just about to get some details from Tori about her brother, who is my date for the Homecoming dance.

Emma: Billy?

Tori: No. Cameron.

Emma: Serious?! I could tell he was interested in Lexi from seeing him and her around one another at events, but didn't think he'd act on it given how reserved he is.

Tori: Well, he did. Lexi, I can tell you that Cam is a bit sensitive and takes what people say pretty literally. Hasn't mastered the ability to sniff out the difference between "being nice" and authentic affinity yet. He also suffers a bit from social anxiety, so big crowds can get to him if he's not centered in a task or on something or someone.

Lexi: Which explains why he seems more comfortable behind a camera than trying to hold a conversation without it.

Tori: And why you probably will never catch him alone anywhere. If he wants to be alone, he'll retreat to his room or the library. I'm telling you all this because I love my brother and I don't want to see him get his hopes up only to have them dashed because he's not what the object of his affection desires.

Emma: Savannah is my biggest cheerleader, even when I would rag her for bad defending when we played together at U-School.

Jordan: Which sports?

Emma: Field hockey and lacrosse, and I also played basketball.

Jordan: So the two of you were teammates first, then an item?

Emma: We were friends for about four years before sports came into the equation, and another four before feelings began to happen.

Tori: If you wonder what a long-term relationship looks like, those two are a great example of it.

Lexi: Hubs, if I weren't straight, you'd be a possible someone for me. You know all my warts and love me still.

Jordan pulled Lexi into a hug. "Awwwwwwwwww."

Tori (to Lexi): Now, what can you tell me that will help Cam know you better?

Lexi: I'm not nearly as self-confident as I appear on the field. Also, I don't appreciate all the attention I get over how I look, because that seems to be all that some guys see. Honest compliments hit me at home, while "lines" make me wonder who else you're chatting up. I have a few skeletons that students who were here last year might know about, but I'm committed to changing how I act and how I'm seen, and I hope he can give me that benefit of the doubt should any of my past be aired.

Tori: I'll keep that last part to myself and only share it with him if something happens. Otherwise, he'll start to question and that clean slate gets dirtied up in his mind.

Commotion was occurring in the hall as the lacrosse players and their girlfriends were returning from dinner. Tori wrapped up her conversation with Lexi, then she and Emma went to the study lounge, allowing Katelyn to bring closure to her evening with Abby without their interference.

Abby: I had a marvelous time. When can we do this again?

Katelyn: Two weeks from tomorrow night, when I take you to the Homecoming dance.

Abby: Oooooo....Is that a request or a demand? Either way, the answer's yes.

The two of them embraced, then broke apart. Before she left, Abby said to Katelyn, "One thing. I probably shouldn't wear flats for that, since you'll have a good six inches on me if you wear heels. Oh, and I think I might want to see you again before that, if your volleyball schedule allows."

Katelyn: Discuss it over breakfast tomorrow?

Abby: You betcha!


	34. Clearing Up The Confusion

Melissa Mueller, Gina McNamara, and Janet Coleman traveled north on Saturday to spend the day with their daughters, Alyssa, and her mom Donna in Milwaukee. After congregating at Trinity, the nine of them departed for the Cedarburg Wine and Harvest Festival at the Cedar Creek Settlement. Melissa and Gina purchased a bottle of wine for them and the other moms, then told Sam that she would be allowed to get a jump on legal drinking by sharing in the bottle with them (her 21st birthday is on October 9th, 18 days away). The elder Mueller sister thanked her mom, her second mom, and the others before imbibing with them. Alyssa and Kristie walked the streets hand-in-hand, soaking up the warm weather and the time together away from campus. Steph and Danny, on the other hand, were joking about some of the kids' contests and baking competitions. Gina watched her daughter and her roommate from afar and opened up to the others about her hopes for Steph.

Gina: Steph made a good choice in asking Danny to room with her. Kristie and Sam I think were always destined to live together at some point at Trinity and I'm glad everything worked out for the four of them.

Melissa: I'm pretty happy with Kristie choosing Sam instead of possibly pairing up with Alyssa. I'm not sure either of them would have been ready for that, even if it seems as though they're completely committed to one another.

Donna: Alyssa definitely wanted to keep that line in the sand, and when the chance came for her and Steph Lafleur to pair up since Steph and Erin chose to put off the discussion of living together for this year, she jumped at it.

Janet: I know all of your daughters are gay, but do you know what kind of dating opportunities exist for the straight girls at Trinity?

Sam: There are a few straight women on our floor, though not as many as they are elsewhere on campus. For some reason, the roommate situation in Augsburg tends to lead to dating one another if you're not already together when you arrive. One of our floor mates is dating a guy in the School of Nursing.

Gina and Melissa chuckled, while Janet and Donna remained silent.

Sam: Don't laugh, please. Corey gets enough grief from people comparing him to Greg Focker. Erin Matheson's roommate, who's on the women's soccer team, is dating a music education major. Then there are the campus playas, those who think they're God's gift to women. Danny doesn't want one of them. The odds are good that she can find someone, but she has to put herself out there where the guys are, and at the moment it's clearly not in Tietjen. What's her type, Janet, if you know?

Janet: At Fremd, she dated the standard two or three-sport athletes, never venturing far from that. Now that she's in college, she's talked about venturing a bit outside of that circle, since the percentage of non-athletes is a lot higher at the college level than the high school one. Qualities that I think she's seeking are: funny; outgoing; supportive; and romantic.

Sam: That describes what 95% of women want. Finding someone who checks off all those at 18 or 19 is a bit much, but it's possible if you look in the right places.

Gina: So Danny isn't an option for Steph, then. Wonder if she knows that.

Sam: Not yet, but Kristie and I have a way to get it out there without either one being put on the spot, really. We're doing a Truth-or-Dare intervention tonight with the two of them, plus some others on our floor.

Gina: Hope it works, because that daughter of mine can be a handful if angered, as the Muellers know.

Janet: Hope so as well, as they're going to be roommates and teammates through this year at least.

Kristie and Alyssa returned to where the other five women were seated, followed a few minutes later by Steph and Danny. The group then left the festival to have lunch together at the Anvil Pub and Grille before the student-athletes returned to campus.

**********

Following a successful day on the athletic field for Trinity's teams (football defeated Benedictine, 27-23; women's soccer demolished Lakeland, 8-1, with Cali scoring twice and delivering an assist in a six-goal first half; field hockey eked out a 3-2 win over Centre College; and women's volleyball swept Alverno, 25-14, 25-17, 25-7), evening had fallen over the campus. With a number of the Augsburg 3 residents (Erin, Steph, Cali, Alyssa, and Katelyn) going to Dani's birthday party at the Sprecher Brewery and others at home for the weekend, the main form of entertainment for the night was in Kristie and Sam's room. The Mueller sisters lined up some additional participants for their Steph-and-Danny intervention during dinner in Siebert, getting Tori, Emma, Hayley, and Sam Keller to bite, and told them to arrive around 8, with the target pair scheduled to come at 7.

Upon arrival of the other four, Kristie introduced Emma and Tori to Steph and Danny, telling them about Tori's interest in doing a piece with the four Chicago lacrosse players for her YouTube channel in the near future. The four invitees sat back for a few minutes before entering the fray when Sam Mueller suggested a game of Truth-or-Dare (clearly, the wine from earlier in the day had gone to her head).

Kristie: Since you're suggesting it, sis, you go first. Truth or Dare?

Sam M.: Truth.

Kristie: What is your most inappropriate sexual fantasy?

Sam was nearly aghast at her sister's request. After a bit of ribbing and encouragement from Steph, she came clean.

Sam M. (to Kristie): That would have to be me, you, and the Norman twins in a four-way.

Steph: Wow! And here I thought you had something against rolling with Kristie.

Kristie: That's because you were hell-bent on wanting a piece of the action, and I wasn't going to roll like that.

Sam M.: Hayley, you were in my group for Team Bonding with all the quiet types, but I think you've got a slightly wild side. Truth or Dare?

Hayley: Dare.

Sam M.: This will be relatively tame since I know you and Sam have just recently gotten together. I dare you to slip your hand inside the waistband of Sam's trackies and leave it on the small of her back for two questions.

Hayley looked at Sam, then reached over and answered the dare, rubbing a couple of small circles in the hollow between her spine and rear.

Hayley: Tori, Truth or Dare?

Tori: Dare.

Hayley: I dare you to chat up Emma as though you were trying to convince her to leave Savannah for you.

Tori: You're cruel.

Tori leaned over, wrapped an arm around Emma's shoulders, and gave her best pitch. "Your girl, she's always away and you can't be expected to just service yourself when the urge hits. Let me bring you delight. Let me lift your carnal spirit to ecstasy. I know all the tricks and would make you scream my name in five minutes if you gave me a chance."

Steph was slightly surprised that a seemingly innocent and uptight individual could spring such a good line on another woman, as she wouldn't have pegged Tori to be in the tribe. The come-on actually got her a little aroused and she gave Tori a golf clap for her effort.

Tori: Steph, since you seem to like my style, you're up. Truth or Dare?

Steph: Truth.

Tori: Where is the oddest place you rubbed one out?

Steph: The bathroom at Kristie and Sam's house. The lacrosse team had a cookout at their place after we played Concordia-Chicago last season and there were a few guests that looked particularly good to me. I was a bit pent-up and irked after the close loss, so I went to the can to take care of the problem.

Kristie smiled at Sam and then whispered to her, "That's one side of the story, because we know it was Danny that was turning her on that day."

Steph: Emma, I remember you did a great job on Lauren in our team bonding game. Truth or Dare?

Emma: Truth.

Steph: Did you and Savannah break in one of your beds after the last game of Truth or Dare?

Emma: Yes, and it was great. She made the room into a romantic space and we went at it like we hadn't seen each other in months. Danny, Truth or Dare?

Danny: Dare.

Emma pointed at the closet. "You and Kristie, get to it! No rules, no holds barred, and there must be proof you actually did something in there. No trying to fake us."

Danny looked at Kristie somewhat sheepishly, but seeing the sympathetic tone of her face caused her to relax and the pair went into the closet.

Kristie: Before you say anything, I know you're straight, and Sam and I are going to help you get it out there so you don't get hit on by the rest of us.

Danny: How? Why?

Kristie: Remember I asked you which of Tori's brothers had you going gaga at dinner one night. As for the why, we're looking out for the team in general, because someone thinking you go their way and you don't can cause a lot of strife and dissension.

Danny: Gotcha. So we're going to have to fake the evidence they want from us.

Kristie: Right. Do you trust me?

Danny: Yes.

Kristie: Are you willing to let me do something to you, not to get you aroused or start a make-out session, but to provide them the proof they want?

Danny: Nothing too kinky or perverted, OK?

Kristie: OK. Close your eyes and fantasize some red-hot lover doing this to you instead of me.

Kristie kneeled down and placed her mouth over the front of Danny's shorts, then munched a bit of the fabric to get it wet. She then moved to a spot just under the hem of her left leg and sucked hard on the skin, producing a slight discoloration. Sam Mueller walked over and knocked on the door, with the two occupants coming out a few seconds later. Danny pulled her shorts up and revealed the love mark left on her leg to the rest of the group.

Danny: Sammy K., Truth or Dare?

Sam K.: Truth.

Danny: Have you and Hayley ever done it, and if not, what's the farthest you've gone?

Sam K.: Making out and a bit of clothing removal, but no bare contact with any of the sensitive parts. In fact, I think Hayley's hand near my bum a little while ago might have been the most daring thing either of us had done to the other.

Emma: Glad to hear you're taking your time and not just jumping from buddies to bed buddies. It's not as easy as it seems moving the focus from the platonic to the romantic. Savannah and I spent the rest of our summer the year we started dating trying to find the right balance of physical attraction and affection and building upon the eight years of friendship we already had invested in one another.

Sam K.: Guess it's Kristie's turn now. Truth or Dare?

Kristie: Dare.

Sam K.: I dare you to play the rest of the game bare-chested.

Kristie laughed at Sam's attempt to put her in an uncomfortable position and quickly removed her t-shirt and bra.

Kristie: Second round. Tori, Truth or Dare?

Tori: Truth.

Kristie: Have you ever caught one of your twin brothers in an embarrassing situation?

Tori: YES! What I tell you CANNOT get out of this room. One day, Cam had stayed home from school because he was underprepared for an exam which caused his anxiety to spike. I came home during my lunch period and saw him in his room "relieving his anxiety", if you will. Again, this goes NOWHERE! He'd probably have a full-on panic attack if he heard others knew about that. He nearly had one in front of me and all I did was walk past his room and stop at the door for two seconds.

Kristie: Did it turn you on?

Tori: Hell no! One, he's my BROTHER! Two, I don't eat raw meat. Sushi is more my style. Danny, Truth or Dare?

Danny: Truth.

Tori: Have you come across anyone at Trinity so far that has caused you to cream yourself?

Sam looked at Tori and mouthed to her, "Thank you."

Danny: Yes. Your brother, Billy.

Tori: Whoa! First Cam goes after Lexi Millen and gets a yes, then you declare that you want Billy. I'm feeling a little left-out at the moment.

Steph sat in her place sort of stunned, as she was so sure Danny was a member of the family. Danny, seeing the disappointment in her roommate's face, took the opportunity to bring her out of the funk.

Danny: Steph, Truth or Dare?

Steph: Dare!

Danny: You were impressed by Tori's earlier macking on Emma, so I'm going to give her a chance to see your skills on display. Sit down in front of her and see if you can get her to respond to your seduction. You can't speak or touch her, but nothing's off-limits otherwise.

Steph walked over and kneeled in front of Tori, then looked her in the eyes while she moved her hand up her own chest and squeezed on her right breast, followed by a come-hither look. Tori kept her composure, which led Steph to up the ante a little and rub herself over her jeans. Not getting the reaction she desired, she pulled down the zipper and slipped her hand inside. Steph then turned around and wiggled her butt just a couple of inches from Tori's face, causing her to give it a light swat.

Tori: What can I say, I'm a sucker for a tight backside, and boy would I like to see that one with nothing on it!

Steph looked at her best friends and blushed, then turned her head back toward Tori and said, "Later."

Sensing that things could get out of control if they finished off the round, Kristie called time on the game and the eight chatted for a bit before Steph and Danny left for Tietjen, followed by Emma and Tori going down the hall to wait for their roommates to return and Hayley and Sam returning to their room for some cuddle time.


	35. Happy Birthday, Dani

Sprecher Brewery in Glendale was the site for the first of Dani's three birthday celebrations, this one involving her friends and colleagues. Set-up was completed by 6:30, giving Marc, Erin, and Steph a half-hour to greet guests and direct them to the food offerings for the evening (flatbread pizzas and appetizers from the Sprecher Pub and Restaurant at Bayshore Town Center and birthday cake courtesy of Regina's Bay Bakery). Slowly but surely, the Rathskeller started to fill up. Dani and Cali arrived around 7:15, following their game at Lakeland University. Once everyone had a pint (be it beer or soda) in hand, those gathered sang "Happy Birthday" to the soon-to-be 25-year-old. 

As the evening went on, the partiers split off into several groups. Marc was standing at the bar with Ben Oliphant, his son Dawson, Wil Trainor, and Dani's brothers-in-law, Brent Struye and Shawn Frost. Elsewhere, Erin, Steph, Sarah Hawthorne, Michelle, and Ben's wife Megan were chatting in another corner of the room, while Dani had ushered Cali and her sister Angela outside to talk to them in private.

Dani (to Angela): I'm going to need your help tomorrow. You and Cali are still the only two in the family to know about Marc and I. Aunt Judy was getting a bit nosy about the two of us when Cali and I were out with her and Uncle Steve a couple of weeks ago. He said we probably can't take the next step and be an official couple until after the holidays because of the pending court case over his late wife's estate. 

Angela: Got ya. I won't bring it up, but how will you deflect questions about Sarah if you're asked?

Dani: Admit what I believe has happened, which is her finally landing Wil. She's been after him for years, but his being mostly on the gay side of the spectrum meant he was always trying to find a guy to be with who'd allow him and her to have their side thing instead of committing to her with an agreement that allows him to have the other need met elsewhere. It's similar to how Marc and I started, with him being the safe guy to feed my need for lovin' while I looked for a girlfriend. Now, I really don't want anyone else but him.

Cali: So you two are going out after practice on Monday, right?

Dani: Yes. He won't tell me where, but I'm packing clothes for Tuesday and plan to leave my car on campus.

Angela and Cali understood what Dani meant by her last comment. In the meantime, Dani and Angela's sister Olivia had come to look for the three of them.

Olivia: Family pow-wow and I wasn't invited?

Dani: I needed to talk to Angela and Cali in private so they're on alert for tomorrow's gathering with the family.

Olivia: About......

Dani: About what's currently happening in my dating life and what isn't.

Olivia: You and Sarah break up?

Dani: Not exactly. Her and Wil are spending more time together, which I think will end up with him eventually committing to her. You know she's been after him since high school.

Olivia: Should I be saddened by this predicament or not?

Dani: Depends. There IS someone on the horizon, but nothing that I'd call a relationship at the moment.

Olivia: And I suppose both Angela and Cali know about this person.

Cali: Yes. He works at Trinity and knows a number of the people who Dani and I are close to at the school.

Angela: We need you to keep Mom and Aunt Judy off Dani's back tomorrow.

Cali: Please?

Olivia: OK, but you better introduce me to him in the near future.

Dani: Oh, you'll get to meet him soon enough, I can assure you of that.

###

Marc (to Ben): Did you have any problems settling Natalie's affairs after the crash?

Ben: The suddenness of her death and us not really thinking that far down the road meant there was very little of hers that didn't pass directly to me or was held in trust for Dawson or Lily. Things not going well with Danielle's family and clearing probate?

Marc: Her sister-in-law convinced her brother to contest the trust because she feels they were shorted on its provisions compared to other heirs. I filed my response with the court last week and am now waiting to see if we'll go to trial. Dawson, any of the professors at Marquette specialize in estate law, because I could use some help fighting this?

Dawson: I can ask around Monday and Tuesday since I don't think any of my current profs do. Want me to pass along your contact info if I find one?

Marc: If you can, that'd be much appreciated.

Wil: Everything ready for Monday night?

Marc: I think so. Reservations made, gift procured, but you knew that part already. Still need to decide how I'm going to ask her.

Ben: So it's time, then?

Marc: Yes. Still not wanting to be public about it until after the term is over because of several things both on and off-campus on each of our plates, but I'm ready to start that next chapter with her.

Dawson: Michelle had been wondering when you'd be ready to commit.

Marc: I think Erin and Steph are discussing this with her, Megan, and Sarah on the other side of the room, because all of them know we're something and the two of them know what I'm planning for Monday.

Brent: Don't believe I know any of you other than Wil. How do you know Danielle or others here?

Dawson: I'm dating her best friend, Michelle. Dawson Oliphant.

Ben: I'm a professor in the School of Education at Trinity. My wife is closer to her than I am because of mutual friends on campus. I'm also Dawson's father.

Marc: Dani played for my summer league team while she was attending Stritch. When I was hired at Trinity, she and I got reacquainted and I've been doing some career mentoring with her.

Shawn: What do you do?

Marc: Let's see. I'm Executive Director of the Urban Coaching Institute housed at TLU. I also work with the athletic department in handling student-athlete misconduct. Then there's my main job as the school's chaplain.

Brent: I think I've heard about you from Angela and Cali. You still have your hand deep in the women's soccer world, right?

Marc: Yes, but nowadays it's mostly helping up-and-coming professionals like Dani make connections in the field and officiating players' weddings.

Brent: Glad to finally meet you....

Marc: Marc. Marc Schmidt.

Brent and Shawn shook hands with Marc, then said they were going to go look for their wives.

###

Erin: Has Dani said anything to any of you about what she wanted for her birthday? Steph and I got her an engraved name plate that she can put on her desk at the Institute when they finally get a permanent space, or when she gets an office of her own as head coach somewhere.

Michelle: I know what she REALLY wants, but she thinks that that will probably be a Christmas gift the way Marc is talking.

Sarah: I wouldn't be so sure of that. Marc told Wil and I at brunch last weekend that he was planning to ask her to begin their next chapter on Monday night.

Megan: So he's ready?

Steph: I guess so. It shouldn't come as a surprise to those closest to the two of them since they've been pretty much together in some capacity since Danielle passed away.

Sarah: He also told me and Wil that he was waiting for an update on the two of us before deciding to make the leap, since she and I were pseudo-seeing each other.

Michelle: Tomorrow is her family's birthday celebration for her. I wonder how she's going to keep them out of the loop.

Erin: I saw her yank away Angela and Cali earlier, so the three of them are more than likely working that out.

###

The cake-cutting and present-opening were handled once everyone was back in the Rathskeller, which left Dani the rest of the evening to mingle with her friends and loved ones. She stopped first to talk with Jamie, Casey, and Casey's husband Nate, then moved onto her high school teammate Sara Trevino, who at this time was with Michelle, Dawson, Cali, and Matt. Katelyn and Alyssa sought Dani out, bringing Erin and Steph with them. When she got to the bar, she innocently looped an arm around Marc's waist and curled up into him. Marc's eyes roamed the room and saw the reaction that a handful of people had to the gesture. He leaned down and whispered in Dani's ear, "Does everyone here know about us?"

Dani: Most do, and those who don't can....figure....it....out. S***!

Dani broke her hold from Marc and walked to the ladies' room to get her thoughts under control. Angela, knowing the spiral that could develop if her sister began to feel self-conscious, went after her. She stood outside the stall and asked her what happened.

Dani: I wrapped my arm around Marc's waist and leaned against him, like I've done numerous times when we've been standing around somewhere. He asked if everyone in the room knew about us, because he was seeing some reactions that seemed to indicate the opposite. I told him most of those here did, and the others could figure it out if they didn't, which made me think immediately about Olivia, Brent, and Shawn.

Angela: Sis, play it off, OK? Like you said, most of that room know you and Marc are sort of together, and those that weren't aware will have to suck it up. I'll deal with Brent's questions when we get home and get him on-board for tomorrow. Olivia, that's going to be another story.

Dani: I told her she'd meet the new guy soon enough. Guess that means now if we plan to diffuse the situation. Thanks, Ang. I needed your steadiness to get me out of the swirl. Come with me when I do the intros to Olivia and the guys?

Angela: I'm there all the way. I'll stall them for a couple so you can return to level.

Angela left the ladies' room and walked over to Marc, telling him what had transpired. He nodded, then was joined by the contingent of Trinity athletes. After a quick bit of damage control with them, Marc looked and saw Dani on her way back. She squeezed his hand, then stood beside him surrounded by their little mob.

Marc: Are you OK with those who didn't know yet finding out?

Dani: I already told Olivia that there was someone new and she'd meet him soon. Sara isn't an issue. Angela said she'd handle Brent at home, so that leaves Shawn as the only obstacle, and I don't think he'll be much of one. So, yes, if you're OK with it.

Marc: In this setting, with so many already in on the secret, I'm good, because we already have acceptance and even support from them.

Dani: OK. I'm going to get this out of the way all at once. Stay put.

Dani walked into the center of the room, then stood on a chair and banged the back of a spoon against her glass of beer to get everyone's attention.

Dani: Again, thank you, everyone, for coming out tonight and helping me celebrate the end of my first quarter-century of life. I have an important announcement. For most of you, this will be non-news since you already know, but for those who don't, the man standing at the bar with all the Trinity athletes is the school's chaplain, Deacon Marc Schmidt. He's also the Executive Director of the Urban Coaching Institute, of which I am a part. Most importantly, he and I are seeing each other, sort of. That's the announcement. I love the man and I don't care if anyone thinks our being together is weird or disgusting or twisted. So. There!

Dani climbed down and walked back to the bar, then reached up and left a small peck on Marc's lips, which was followed by him embracing and praising her for her show of confidence. Olivia came over and officially met Marc, then told Dani she could see in her face that he was someone very special to her and that, now knowing, she'd be doubly sure to keep the elders from getting invasive on her sister's personal life tomorrow. Erin, Steph, and Cali did some clean-up as the guests began departing, making for an easy haul for them, Marc, and Dani to their vehicles when they left the brewery.

**********

Birthday celebration number two for Dani was underway at the Dillons' in Glendale, with their full complement (Theresa and Dennis; Angela, Brent, Courtney, and Dylan; Nicole; and Olivia and Shawn) along with Cali, her brothers Ryan and Conor, and their parents in attendance. Those at last night's party were cautious of starting up any conversations that could lead to uncomfortable inquiries. Cali noticed that Dani's locket was absent from her neck, then realized she thought it best to keep any signs of Marc out of view. A traditional fall dinner of baked ham, root vegetables, and pan rolls was on the table, which everyone praised Theresa and Judy for preparing. Following dinner, with everyone in the living room, the mini-interrogation commenced.

Theresa (to Dani): How was last night's party with your friends?

Dani: Different. This becoming an adult thing has resulted in a very different circle of people in my life than was the case in high school or college. It was interesting having that wide range of individuals in the same place at one time, ranging from Cali and some of her floor mates to professors at Trinity.

Judy: A great party, a huge win at Lakeland, and all of us together for once. Looks like your birthday weekend has been a real winner so far.

Dani: Yes, but it's back to work tomorrow as we play at Dominican on Tuesday and they're definitely a step up from the conference teams we've faced so far.

Angela: When do you start up full-time at the Coaching Institute?

Dani: Depends on if we make the conference tournament. Things right now are at a bit of a lull. The school districts that wanted the module for this year made their requests several months ago and Marc is holding off on updating it until we finish building the two-semester seminar using the present one. I'm guessing I'll up my hours a week or so after our season ends.

Dennis: How did you land that job?

Dani: Came about last January after I returned from the United Soccer Coaches convention in Chicago. Marc and I did an ad hoc presentation on the module, him as its creator and I as someone who had taken it, following the Women's Committee meeting. The number of requests for information and inquiries he received after Convention were too much for him to handle on top of his duties as Trinity's chaplain and adjudicator of student-athlete misconduct. He hired me to do several hours a week of administrative work so new agreements with school districts and other sports-related agencies could be created and signed. When the Urban Coaching Institute's placement at Trinity was approved by Faculty Senate, he expanded my position to be part-time August-October and March-May and full-time November-February. Cali's roommate and her girlfriend got me a name plate for when we finally move into a permanent space on campus.

Judy: That was sweet of Erin and Steph.

Dani: I was surprised by it. It'll sit in its box until the transition happens, which I hope is the start of Spring semester.

Angela asked Dani to watch Courtney and Dylan for a few minutes while she tidied up the kitchen. Cali played as well with the two kids, bringing some calm to what was about to become a tense situation. With the potential for prying averted temporarily, the rest of the afternoon was peaceful. When Dani drove Cali back to Trinity, the two of them kvetched.

Cali: My mom can be so pushy! Luckily, Angela jumped in with the kids to distract her, but it looked like she was going to ask again about the two of you.

Dani: I don't get it. Why does she care so much about whether Marc and I are a couple?

Cali: I think part of it is protectiveness, but another part of it seems to be common to women our parents' age. The concern that their men could end up seeking out what Marc has with you. That explains Steph's mom getting nosy about the two of you.

Dani: I was more worried about MY mom trying to get something definitive out of me than her, but I'm thinking you're right.

Dani got off I-43 at Brown Deer Road, then drove across the overpass to take the interstate the other direction.

Dani: Change of plans. I think we need some time with the other family to unwind our heads from what our moms do to us.

Cali knew what Dani meant and texted the others at the house to tell them they were coming.

**********

Erin, Steph, and Katelyn descended on their lovable chaplain's manse for a restful Sunday of eating and hanging out with him. The day turned out to be anything but restful as Marc had blocked off the time to work on the song list for the Homecoming dance in two weeks. While he was speeding his way through YouTube playlists, the other three gave him critiques of the songs and did some Internet browsing of dresses from the 80s so they would have some idea of what to get when they went looking at the second-hand shops. Around 4:00, Erin got a message on her phone.

CaliFarmia: Deuce and I coming. Need your funnies and sanity after family dinner.

Erin spread the message to the rest, then went over to help Marc with the song list, leaving the other two to continue their perusal of questionable fashion. Twenty minutes later, Dani and Cali were at the front door ready to explode. Erin and Katelyn tended to Cali on the sofa, while Marc and Steph sat with Dani in the dining room. Both of them expressed to their pair the frustration that came from dealing with the older women's silent judgment of them. Once Dani had released some of her angst, Katelyn returned to the living room while she and Marc went to his office to talk in private.

Dani: Cali, Angela, and Olivia were all on their toes with Mom and Aunt Judy, and nothing got out that shouldn't have, but I'm feeling that there is going to be some level of hell to pay once we DO go official.

Marc: We cross that bridge when it comes. I won't let anyone hurt you, or make you feel bad for loving me and wanting to be with me. Remember our first "real" dance together?

Dani: Yeah, at Becca and EJ's wedding, when Zach brought out the boombox. It led to that first kiss back at the hotel and our first time being truly intimate with each other.

Marc hit the play button on his iPod deck, which he had queued up to start with "In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel. Dani wrapped her arms behind Marc's neck and laid her head on his shoulder as the two of them swayed to the music. Hearing what was coming from his office, the four student-athletes walked back to it and watched the couple be lost in one another. Erin pointed out to Cali that what she was seeing was an almost exact replica of how the two of them were at the wedding last December. When the song ended, Dani lifted her eyes to Marc's and the two of them kissed, which caused the four watching them to cheer, with Erin being the loudest.

Marc: How long have you been standing there?

Steph: Long enough to see the two of you correct your mistake from December.

Dani: I hope none of you took video. That's the LAST thing I need after today's stand-off.

Cali: I did, but it's going to be saved until you two make your relationship official. Also, Marc, can you teach my boyfriend how to take my breath away like you do to Dani?

Marc: Better schedule in some time for ALL the guys I know to get a crash course in romance before the 5th. AND some of the girls, too.

The four onlookers went out to the kitchen to begin making dinner while Marc and Dani spent a couple more minutes in his office in a loving embrace accentuated by heartfelt words. She tried to get out of him where they were going to tomorrow night, only to be rebuffed.

**********

A new school week commenced with a number of the junior students engaged in studying for upcoming exams. Alyssa had ones in Moral Philosophy and Classical and Modern Rhetoric, while Sam Mueller's was in Literary Criticism. Because of the heavy study load between now and her two exams later in the week, Alyssa was excused from today's Super Six meeting, which meant that Brad would be in charge of the agenda. Also, with SGA meeting on Wednesday, Karina was in attendance to poll the group on pending legislation.

Brad: First on the docket today is Julie with an update on the residence hall ministry.

Julie: We have, for the moment, someone in each of the eight residence halls who can be called upon to provide spiritual support to students. The plan for the rest of Fall semester is to equip those already there and then expand so we have someone on every floor, using those who took the Peer Ministry training in January as our starting point. Abby and I are trying not to pull more duty than is reasonable, but are filling in gaps where they arise and are on-call should there be a specific need that requires advanced tools or resources to those available within the hall.

Marc gave Julie a smile and a thumbs-up in response to her concise report.

Brad: Next is Karina with a preview of Wednesday's SGA meeting.

Karina: There are three significant items on Wednesday's slate. First is a request by the LGBT Center to hold a belated National Coming Out Day event on October 14th since we're on Fall break when it occurs on the 11th. The second one is funding approval for Augsburg, Wittenberg, and Katharine Halls to hold their all-campus events during Fall semester. The draft proposal didn't list dates, but the individuals presenting for each of the halls planned to meet later today to work out the schedule. The last thing is Gavin Winchester is seeking a targeted student fee increase that would go to upgrades for the athletic department, aimed mostly at facilities.

Marc: From your perspective, what's the general mood of the body on these items?

Karina: The second one will sail through so long as the costs are reasonable and there are no intentional conflicts with other scheduled events. On the first one, the idea should pass with a big number, but the date might be up for debate. Since it will already be a delayed recognition, some representatives, including myself, might feel that the first day back isn't the right time and will want it on the 15th or 16th. As for Gavin, that will take up most of the time but won't come up for a vote because there is no accompanying proposal from a member of SGA for the measure. Hence, we'll hear him out and have the request assigned to the appropriate committee for the drafting of said legislation and mark-up.

Marc: On the National Coming Out Day event, look through the athletic schedules and see if there are home games on either the 15th or 16th and then discuss with members of those teams and the GAA representative about declaring those matches Pride Games. The day will have a greater impact if you can tie it into already-scheduled events.

Karina: Clever. So how do you guys want me to vote on these?

Steph: Sounds like there is more or less a consensus among SGA on the matters. Go with what you feel best represents us on the issues, but PLEASE don't have anything from Gavin get to a vote without some detail on what he wants to do with the money and whether there's a sunset on the additional fees.

Marc: Steph, I'm impressed you know to ask about funding requests having sunsets.

Steph: Remember, my dad is in student affairs and a lot of the issues SGA takes up here are similar to those before Laurier's student government.

Karina: So just go with my gut aside from blocking Gavin?

The rest of the table nodded their heads in agreement with Karina's request.

Brad: That seems to be the major business for today. Marc, do you have anything to add?

Marc: We've talked about reaching out into the greater Milwaukee community and being a beacon of light in the midst of darkness. On October 13th, there will be a Walk To Fight Suicide at Humboldt Park. I'm planning to participate in memory of those who couldn't find their way out of the darkness and in honor of Sarah and Wil's intervention that stopped me from finishing the task last December. I know it falls during Fall break and thus most if not all of you will be gone, but if you ARE here, please consider joining me.

Julie: I'll be here and I'll let Vanessa know as well since she might want to do it with us in honor of Sofia's struggles.

Steph: If I'm here, I'm in. I never got to the point where I acted on my thoughts, but I've had them in the past.

Erin: Same goes for me.

Corey: Would it be OK for me to spread this around the SHP (School of Heath Professions) departments and perhaps form a team for the event?

Marc: Go for it! I'll make an announcement on Wednesday at worship to invite the whole TLU community to take part and point them to you for more information or to sign up.

Brad: If there is nothing else, I adjourn this meeting and am off to my 1:00.

The rest of the group cleaned up their portion of the dining hall before departing Siebert for the rest of their day's schedules.

**********

As Monday afternoon wound down, Marc began to get somewhat nervous about tonight's date with Dani. He had made reservations at Maggiano's Little Italy and was planning to ask her to become his girlfriend. He still was stumped on how to actually DO that, but thoughts eventually swirled in his head and he worked out the words he wanted to say.

Marc (internal dialogue): When we met back up a little over a year ago, I wasn't looking for someone because, well, I was married and had already cashed in my midlife crisis card when I turned 35. There was something about you, now somewhat grown up and in the professional world, that tripped a desire in me to be fully human. I kept trying to put it out of my mind, but it never went far. As you began to express interest in me, naturally I got worried about the consequences. The first time you came to my office and had your way with me, in a manner of speaking, something magical happened. I felt a certain level of love that I hadn't yet known. Maybe it was pure lust and me delighting in having a much younger woman at my fingertips. Things changed in my mind when I couldn't perform and you didn't run, didn't shame me, and just listened to what was distracting me from giving you my entire self in that moment. As time has passed, I have become more and more aware of how you literally changed my life for the better by being part of it. I've said all this to get to what I really want to say. Danielle, I'm ready to start that next chapter, and I'd like you to be my co-author. Will you be mine and mine alone?

Deciding that he's got something from which to pull when that moment comes, he returned his mind to the couple of tasks he had to finish by the end of the day before he was to meet Dani at Buuck following practice.

**********

When Marc got to Buuck Athletic Center, he stopped into the men's room to check himself over quickly before he was to meet Dani. Feeling confident about the color scheme chosen (red shirt and tan slacks), Marc put on his black sport coat and went back into the field house foyer. Savannah Stark exited the women's locker room and, seeing Marc, went over to talk to him for a second. She warned him that Dani was ON FIRE with her look for the night, then wished him good luck on getting the yes he wanted. A couple minutes after Savannah left to go to Siebert, Dani came out and looked for Marc, finding him sitting down on one of the stone benches. He saw her coming toward him and stood up, then pecked her cheek and gave her a very long look.

Marc: I think I've seen this combination before, and it's turning me on just as much as it did the first time, maybe more since I have a feeling there will be a LOT more time tonight to see you in and out of it than when you wore it for your Lane Bryant interview.

Dani did a quick glance around her, then kissed Marc. "You remembered."

Marc: How could I forget?! It was my first day back at Trinity after the wedding in Kansas City and you knew just the right way to help me release the tension I had from that weekend. Ready to go?

Dani: Yes. Just need to stop by my car quick to get my overnight bag.

Marc and Dani walked out of Buuck toward the parking garage, where she got her belongings and then put them in the back seat of Marc's Intrepid. After taking her seat, she reached over and placed a soft suckle on Marc's neck as she attempted to get him to tell her what was in store for the evening.

Marc: I know you're trying to find out where we're going, but you'll just have to wait until we get there.

Dani: You're no fun!

Marc: Patience, my love. Things looking good for tomorrow's game?

Dani: I suppose. It's away and it's midweek, so that will hopefully work in our favor.

Marc: Are you feeling better today than you did when I last saw you?

Dani: Much. I think Cali and I benefited from our second family's attention and empathy. She seemed in good spirits at practice. How are YOU?

Marc: A little bit tired, just from Saturday night and the work on the Homecoming dance I was doing yesterday and today's work. Gavin's going before the SGA on Wednesday to seek out a student fees increase for the upgrades, so I was sharing information I had on his previous pitches with Karina to help her prepare for his appearance.

The pair held hands for the rest of the drive, which ended at Mayfair Mall, where Maggiano's was located.

**********

As their meal was coming to an end, Marc handed Dani a small box wrapped in gold foil. She opened it and was mesmerized by the gift inside (a pair of heart-shaped sapphire earrings and a necklace with a heart-shaped sapphire pendant).

Dani: I'm speechless. You didn't need to go to such great lengths for my gift. The Saturday night party, our date tonight, what's probably going to happen once we get back to your place, that together was more than enough for me.

Marc: Nothing is too good for you. I hope you'll consider wearing them for the wedding in Vancouver.

Dani: Yes, and I can re-use the dress from the USC banquet since it will match them perfectly. How can I thank you for all of this?

Marc took a deep breath, then reached across the table and took his beloved's hand in his.

Marc: When we crossed paths on-campus a little over a year ago, I did not expect life to put me here, with you, this evening. You are beyond words the most delightful, considerate, not to mention beautiful, woman I've ever known. I almost feel like you're too good for me, that what I've done in my past should have you scared to death of loving me, of wanting me.

Marc took an extra-long pause, which caused Dani to fill in the silence. "When you told me you had fallen for me and that it wasn't necessarily a dead end if I allowed myself to be in love with you, I had a bit of thinking to do, as you remember. Surrendering to those feelings, to the desire I had for you, was the best decision I've ever made. We're together, sort of but not quite, and I know that it's just a matter of months until that can be changed."

Marc: Let's change that now, shall we? Danielle, I am ready to start my next chapter and I would like you to be the co-author. Will you be mine and mine alone?

Dani was silent for several seconds as she tried to make sense of Marc's question.

Dani: Did you just ask me to be your person, whatever the term for that is?

Marc: Yes, I did.

Dani: Good, because then I can give you an answer, which is YES! Why did you ask me now, though? I thought you were waiting until after Fall semester was done.

Marc: Because I don't think we should put off declaring what is already obvious to us and our inner circles. If I had any reservations about doing it now, your display on Saturday night cancelled them out. Didn't know you had that kind of fire in you.

Dani: I've watched you for the last year and learned a couple of things about going to the wall for the people you love and the things you are most passionate about. I also knew that I could run to you if I made a complete mess of the situation and we'd work through it together. Your faith in me, your love for me, the strength you give me, it was the right way to show others how much you meant to me.

Marc kissed Dani's hand before they got up and left the restaurant. Once outside, they walked to his car hand-in-hand. After getting in, the two leaned across the console and locked lips, sealing their official (to them) couplehood. Marc started the car and drove as quick as safely possible back to his place so the remainder of his celebrating his partner's birth could commence.

**********

The morning light came cascading through Marc's bedroom window, awakening him from his slumber. He rolled onto his back and looked to his right, seeing Dani wrapped up in the sheet and comforter which covered her naked body. He turned onto his side and scooted up against her, pressing his morning wood into her rear.

Dani: Mmmmmmm. Ready for another couple of rounds?

Marc: Only after I get rid of the pressure on my bladder. Be back in a second.

While Marc was in the bathroom doing his business, Dani scrolled through her social media. She was planning to post an album on Instagram summarizing her birthday weekend on the bus trip to Dominican University this afternoon, but that plan was quickly changed when she saw the number of texts she received in the last 10 hours or so asking about her date with Marc. When he returned to bed, Marc asked her what was up in the world.

Dani: The world wants an update on last night. I was going to post something later with pictures of all the gifts I received and some highlights from Saturday night and last night, but I don't think the girls are going to leave me alone if I don't say something before then.

Marc: How many of the crew have bugged you so far?

Dani: Cali, Erin, Alyssa, Michelle, Steph, and Megan. A pretty odd list of folks to all be texting me at the same time, unless......did you tell anybody what you were planning to do last night?

Marc: Just them, and their SO's, and Sarah and Wil. Don't think anyone else knew.

Dani: So they want confirmation about whether we're together or not, I'm guessing. So how should we answer them.....I've got it! Spoon me.

Marc slid up behind Dani and wrapped his arms around her. She took his left hand and wove her fingers through his. She then grabbed her phone and took a picture of the two hands interlocked.

Dani: There! Let me upload the pics and send out the post, then we can get onto other activities.

Marc tightened his hold on his beloved while she posted her birthday album to Instagram. Following that, she turned her phone off and rotated so her front side was pressed against Marc's. From there, she pulled him onto her and went for his neck and collarbone while rubbing her pubic area against his flaccid member. As the magic wand began hardening, she tilted her hips slightly so he could glide into her once he was ready. The pair stared at each other and connected their lips, letting the love they felt radiate from one to the other. Dani placed her hands on Marc's butt to signal that she wanted him inside her. He took the hint and pressed forward, sliding his manhood between her vaginal lips. A slow and steady rhythm was set by the two of them, with neither in a rush to climax but rather to make their passion play last as long as possible. Dani squeezed her pelvic muscles around Marc's shaft as they moved to and fro. The tip of his penis was getting rather sensitive as he was hitting and rubbing against her cervix, causing him to stop temporarily and adjust his depth. With that corrected, they moved one another toward a nearly-simultaneous orgasm. He pulled out of her and lied on his back, with her curling up to him, placing her head against his heart.

Marc: So our first day as a committed couple is off to a bang of a start.

Dani giggled at Marc's pun. "You could say that."

The two of them cuddled and caressed each other for a little while before getting up and starting the day. Once showered, dressed, and packed, they left the house for Trinity. On the drive, Dani caught up on the reactions to her album. There were already 47 likes and a number of comments on it.

CaliFarmia: YES!!!!!

EDMatheson17: I couldn't be happier to see this! The jewelry is beautiful and I hope I get to see you wear it sometime soon.

StephLafleur: Girlfriend, you done good!

ADStruye: Is that......If so, then I must say "You hurt her, I hurt you". Congrats, baby sis!

EmmaJillPreston: No way!!!

Michelleeeee: WTG, bestie! You've got yourself a winner.

MeganO: I think you and I need to have another gab session about the men in our lives. BTW, over-the-moon that this has come to pass.

LaurieCochran: Tell my brother that he better not screw this up. I'm counting on him and you to teach my wayward son @ MattyBoy the ropes of finding and falling for that special someone.

Dani: The news is out there and the responses have been quite positive. I know both Cali and I will probably have to deal with the moms asking about it, but I'm planning to have my phone off for the trip now since I got the birthday post up.

Marc: Like you said on Saturday night, and reiterated last night, if people don't want to support us, f*** 'em!

Dani reached and grabbed Marc's free hand. "I'm never letting go of you."

Marc: Good, because you're not getting out of my sight, either. How we navigate the next three months will be interesting, but we'll handle it together. You sure I can't give you something to show off as proof?

Dani: STOP, MARC! You've already showered me with more than any woman could imagine getting in the past three days.

Marc: OK. Just means that your Christmas present will be a little more substantial since that's the time when I hope to make this public.

Marc pulled into his parking space by Luther Hall and he and Dani got out of the car. The two went to his office and slipped into work mode, with them discussing the items related to athletics that came out in the Super Six meeting yesterday. Dani said she'd mention the Pride Game idea to the team during training table and that she'd join Marc for the Out Of The Darkness walk on the 13th. Dani left Marc's office around 9:30 and headed to hers in the athletic center, eager to get on with this first day of her next chapter with the man she loved.


	36. True Confessions

The women's soccer team's trip to Dominican University resulted in a 4-2 loss to the Stars, with Lexi and Kim Libby contributing the goals for the Thunder. On the road heading back to Mequon, Dani and Cali dealt with the firestorm Theresa, Judy, and Nicole brewed up over the afternoon.

TKDillon: Danielle, who is the guy whose hand you're holding? Why haven't I met him yet? You've got some explaining to do to me and your father.

JudyJudyJudy: Both you and Cali need to come clean on whether what I suspected a couple of weeks ago is actually true and your denials were nothing more than fabrication.

NickiD: When did this happen? Who is he? And why does it look like I'm the only one of your sisters to NOT know about this?! BTW, nice jewelry.

After coming to a consensus on how to address their comments, they each posted responses on Dani's Instagram post.

DaniPDillon: I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. His name is Marc and he works at Trinity. As for how some of you didn't know about this until now, it was only last night that the decision was made to start an exclusive relationship. That's all I plan to say at the moment about it and would appreciate you not accusing me of being duplicitous when you have no clue the reasons behind the decisions either he or I have made. #myguy

CaliFarmia: Mother, your prying into Dani's private life on that day was uncalled for, and what seems to be a certain level of judgment being delivered by you and Aunt Theresa is also not a good look for you. I've spent time with them, a LOT of time, and I see how she loves him and lights up in his presence. Be happy that Dani has found someone who makes her happy and treats her better than anyone before him. #secondfamily @EDMatheson17 @StephLafleur @MattyBoy

Lexi walked up and sat down next to Cali, who was across the aisle from her cousin. She wished her coach a belated Happy Birthday and asked about that morning's post.

Dani: The first one was the layout of the room at Sprecher Brewery where my party on Saturday night was held. The next few were gifts I got that night. The rest of the photos were from last night, when I went out to dinner with my guy. The earrings and necklace were his birthday gift to me, and the last shot is of us holding hands, confirming what most of our inner circle were hoping would happen last night, which is us starting a committed relationship.

Lexi: Your man has great taste in jewelry and it looks like he makes you happy, because I've not seen you in anything but a cheery mood this season. Oh, and your secret's safe with me.

Dani: Secret?

Lexi: About who he is. I saw signs that you and the chaplain were closer than friends and colleagues when we went to the Minnesota State Fair, so Cali's minor slip-up wasn't really a giveaway.

Cali: I may have accidentally said too much about how Lexi's false allegations of harassment against you affected him.

Dani: Who else on the team knows?

Cali: Jordan was with her when the oops came out.

Dani: So it's reasonably contained. We don't want news about our relationship getting around campus right now, so can you try to maintain radio silence about it?

Lexi: Sure. Now, with that settled, can the two of you and your guys maybe help me with figuring out how I feel about Cameron, Tori's brother?

Cali: Not sure how much help I'll be because I'm still trying to decipher if Matt and I are just spending time together or if there's more to it.

Dani: I think Marc and I can do that. Thinking through his schedule.....maybe Thursday afternoon after he and I come back from our MUSC alumni lunch at Crave. I'll ask him tomorrow after worship, but pencil in 1:30 at his office.

Lexi: Thanks. He was with Cam when he asked me to the Homecoming dance, so I figure he'll have a bit of insight on the situation.

Lexi returned to her seat next to Jordan and tried to rest for the remainder of the trip. Cali and Dani turned back to their phones and saw that their takes had gotten several likes with a couple of comments.

MattyBoy: @DaniPDillon You tell them! Uncle Marc hit a home run when he came across you. Any unattached sisters I might have a chance with? #minimarc #maddog2point0

MeganO: Ladies, as a woman who is married to someone that most would consider "wrong" for me, I applaud Danielle's courage to stand up and say "It's my life and whether you agree or disagree, you don't get to veto my choices." #weneedtodoubleagain #makethattriple @DBOliphant @Michelleeeee

Cali reached across and grasped Dani's hand, then squeezed it and said in a low voice, "You do you, and F those who want to get in the way".

**********

The Student Government Association's bi-weekly legislative session took place in the Lake Shore Room on Wednesday afternoon. Karina's discussions with Erica Skidmore from women's soccer, Claire Potter from women's volleyball, and Diana Thorne who represents the Gay Athletes Association in SGA produced a consensus to propose that TLU's home contests on October 15th (WSOC vs. Edgewood) and 16th (WVB vs. Rockford, FH vs. St. Norbert) be designated as Pride Games in acknowledgment of National Coming Out Day. Karina's resolution was passed 46-5, with the Residence Hall Association's proposal for all-campus events in Katharine Hall on October 18th, Augsburg Hall on November 2nd, and Wittenberg Hall on November 23rd gaining approval by acclamation.

Becky Sanderson (SGA President): The chair calls Gavin Winchester, TLU athletic director, to address the body.

Gavin stepped to the lectern in front of the 51 representatives and presented his request for a five-year increase in student fees totaling $700 ($200 the first year, with an additional $150 the second and third, and an additional $100 the fourth and fifth), raising the current rate from $1800 per semester to $2150 per semester for the 2024-2025 academic year. As no member of the SGA had authored a bill specifying the request, Sanderson moved that the SGA enter into the Committee of the Whole to debate the matter in lieu of formal legislation. President Sanderson appointed Parliamentarian Brittany Bridgeman to preside over the session and she assumed the chair.

Brittany Bridgeman: The chair recognizes the representative from the School of Education, Mr. Nugent.

Lee Nugent: Thank you, Madam Chair. Mr. Winchester, is there a plan for eventually making your long-term capital campaign self-sufficient and have you sought out resources from outside the university to fund this?

Gavin Winchester: Our department has been fundraising for the better part of a year so far, but wallets have been tight on committing to a campaign that doesn't involve the school's major sports. As for long-term, the improvements to Niemoller and a refurbishing of Buuck will lead to additional opportunities for high-profile events to be held at Trinity, resulting in additional resources that can be used to continue growing TLU athletics.

Brittany: The chair recognizes the representative from the Gay Athletes Association, Ms. Thorne.

Diana Thorne: Gavin, as the main voice in SGA for student-athletes, I am interested in knowing how they will benefit from your plan and why you're proposing such a significant increase in student fees, nearly 20% more than we pay currently by the end of the increases in the 2024-2025 academic year, none of which would go to the SGA's general fund but rather will be siphoned off for the upgrades. Also, are you seeking a mid-year hike for Spring semester and, if so, will that be in addition to the proposed $700 increase over five years or will it be part of that?

Gavin: The upgrades to Niemoller are in line with a planned move of women's soccer to Division I for the 2021 season, to coincide with one for baseball at the same time. I feel that both sports have the ability to be competitive within the Horizon League, which is where I hope they will gain associate membership in the future. The $700 increase in fees I'm proposing will allow us to forego most efforts to raise capital externally, which will benefit student-athletes by not taking them away from their academic or athletic pursuits to engage in that pursuit. As for seeking funds from Spring semester fees, that is not currently on the docket as we do have enough on-hand to begin Phase I of improvements at Niemoller, which I hope can be done over the three-month summer break.

Brittany: Next will be the representative from the Peer Ministry Alliiance, Ms. Lester.

Karina: Gavin, Gavin, Gavin.....Is there any sunset planned for these increases, or will TLU athletics continue to get a $700 per student per year allocation from SGA beyond the five years listed in the proposal?

Gavin: I haven't thought about that to date, and we don't yet have a member of your body interested in authoring the necessary legislation. I believe that will be a matter for that person and his/her committee to decide.

Karina: To follow up, what really IS the long-term plan for Trinity Lutheran athletics in addition to what you've told us so far?

Gavin: I don't think I understand your question. Are you asking if I am looking to upgrade other areas of the athletic department after the first projects are completed?

Karina: What I'm asking is what is the purpose of moving women's soccer and baseball to Division I, and why were those teams chosen?

Gavin: The reason I have selected those two teams to be our Division I programs is because, following Niemoller's upgrades, their facilities will be in line with Division I standards. Additionally, the conference affiliation for those sports would be travel-friendly, meaning less days out of class for the athletes, and our current talent base in both sports will allow us to compete for league championships and NCAA tournament berths from the get-go.

Karina: Which means more money rolling in, which can be used elsewhere in the athletic department to add additional teams and larger rosters, I'm guessing.

Gavin: That would be correct.

Several more members of SGA questioned Gavin over more minute details of funding and the eventual need to provide athletic scholarships to women's soccer and baseball players in line with Division I standards. When Sanderson re-assumed the chair, Legislative Chair Liz Edwards moved that the question be assigned to the Finance Committee, which was seconded by Haley Kendall and approved by voice vote.

**********

Dani, Casey, Kara Callen, Kathy O'Leary, and Ashley Sasser, all former players of Marc's with the Milwaukee University Soccer Collective, gathered for lunch with the ex-boss at Crave Bar and Grill.

Ashley: I wanted to get all of us together because: 1) I haven't seen most if any of you since I was hired; and 2) To get in on all the good gossip going on with you and others. By the way, Marc, thank you for your resounding recommendation to Dr. Baines that resulted in my getting an interview with her for the HR position.

Marc: I just held the door open for you. You had to walk through it and make your case.

Dani: Where have I heard that before?

Casey: Probably a couple of times when it came to your Continuing Education trips last year.

Kara (to Dani): So, Deuce, how did Monday night go?

Dani: You didn't see the Insta album?

Kara pulled her phone out quick and went to look at it. "Awwwww! So you're off the market?"

Dani: Better believe it!

Casey: After she pretty much told the naysayers on Saturday night to bite themselves, I had no doubt they would eventually cement things.

Ashley: Catch me up here, ladies. Dani, you've got someone?

Dani looked to her left and smiled. "Yes, and I can't be any happier about it." She then leaned over and pecked Marc's cheek.

Kathy: Wait.....you two are a thing?!

Kara: Yes. After I cornered him about it during my meeting with him and Casey over ish happening in the athletic department, he told us that there weren't official, but he would try to change that when they went out for her birthday.

Dani: So you and Casey knew as well?!?!

Casey: Yep, and were sworn to secrecy.

Ashley: Why did I never see the sparks between you when we played together?

Marc: Probably because you weren't with the team for that third season when Kristy was gone, Dani was rehabbing her ankle, and Kara was in charge. I hadn't seen her in three years before we ran into each other on the first day of Freshman Orientation last August, so I wasn't even really aware that I thought of her in a way I didn't the other players.

Dani: I've always admired Marc and appreciated the opportunities he gave me at the club. When he approached me that day, I was a bit star-struck because I never expected our paths to cross by happenstance, and I knew he was married so anything I might have felt had to be kept hidden.

Kathy: How long have the two of you been doing this song-and-dance, because it couldn't have just sprouted up after Danielle died?

Dani: It was a gradual progression of our friendship that moved from talking about soccer to talking about life to sharing the deep stuff that neither of us could talk about with others. When would you pinpoint us crossing the line between being friends and more-than-friends, dear?

Marc: Our first "real" date in mid-November, as it was the first time I had deliberately gone out of my way to see you.

Dani: So 10 months, give or take.

Casey: I know it's news to you two, Kathy and Ashley, but it's been obvious to those in their inner circle that they are well-suited for each other and love one another a LOT!

Marc: Kathy, I'm waiting on the court to send me their response to my filing for summary dismissal of the challenge. Hopefully, that will come in the next few days. Ashley, Amber hasn't heard anything yet, has she?

Ashley: Not that I'm aware.

Marc: Are any of you planning to go to the Homecoming dance next Saturday? It's an all-campus event in Tietjen and I'll be MC'ing/DJ'ing with my nephew Matt assisting. Theme is 80s Prom.

Kara: You mean like poofy dresses and mismatched color schemes?

Dani: That pretty much describes it, Kara.

Kara: Might have to consider that and see if Sam wants to come as well.

Casey: I think I can persuade Nate into it.

Ashley: Count me in. I THINK I can find something outlandish for myself from Mom's closet and then pick Dad's brain for how to dress Matt.

Dani: One thing before we break up this reunion. Can all of you sit on what you know about Marc and I? The challenge of Danielle's trust could get messy and he wants to keep me from getting dragged into it.

Ashley: Got it. Marc, I'll ask Amber to give you a call and the two of you can discuss what's happening with the case.

Kathy: Oh, definitely.

Kara: Not a problem. There will be enough action going on in the athletic department once the dots get connected on Gavin's wrongdoing for anyone to go snooping about you two.

Casey: Ditto.

Marc: Dani and I need to get back to campus for a meeting with one of her players on matters which might pertain to what's been happening with her program and alumni relations.

The six of them finished off their lunches and proceeded to leave Crave. Following a few minutes of chit-chat and updating contact information for one another, they ventured back to campus and a return to the daily grind of university administration.

**********

Lexi and Cali had lunch together in Albrecht before they went to meet Marc and Dani at his office in Luther. On the walk over, Cali noticed her teammate breathing intently.

Cali: What are you thinking about, Lex?

Lexi: I know I asked Coach to have the chaplain meet with us, but now I'm worried that he's going to bring up last year's stuff.

Cali: He forgave you, as did my cousin. The past is the past and there's no need for either of them to dwell on it to make you feel bad. This year's theme at Trinity is redemption. The first steps toward that are forgiving one's self for bad acts and then either asking for forgiveness from those you've wronged, or forgiving those who have wronged you.

Lexi: I'm going to come clean about last year, because I think how I'm feeling about it is making me question why Cameron would be interested in me beyond my looks, and what would happen were he to find out about it.

Cali: I'll sit beside you and support you if you choose to do it.

Marc and Dani were walking in from the parking lot when Cali and Lexi got to the chaplain's office. After letting everyone in, Marc closed the door and directed the other three to the couch and recliners. He brought his office chair from behind his desk and sat down across from the three women.

Marc: So Lexi, Dani told me that you wanted to talk with the two of us as well as Cali and Matt concerning your feelings for Cameron. The floor is yours.

Lexi: When I returned to school for preseason practice, I was looking to change the way things had gone last year, such as the panic move I made that resulted in the false accusation against Coach Dillon. My choice to split away from that past life cost me my boyfriend, who attempted to ridicule me for choosing a different path. When I noticed Cameron looking at me at the All-Sports Mixer, I secretly wondered if he could read on my face the missteps I'd made. His asking me out last week was both a good thing and a bad thing. Good in the sense that I know my past isn't necessarily dragging on me, but bad in that I wonder what he'll think if it comes to light.

Marc: Since both Coach Dillon and I have a pretty good idea what was going on with you last year, I'll give you some thoughts based on that assumption. This year, I am stressing in worship the concept of redemption, that we cannot earn someone's forgiveness for our errors or sins but rather it needs to be offered to you. Both of us and Cali have given you that for last year's actions, yet it seems you're having difficulty accepting it. When you think about what you used to do, what feelings or thoughts come to mind?

Lexi: How the good parts of it were severely outweighed by the problems it caused me academically and socially. I hung around only with those who were in the game and therefore could keep my secret life secret, which caused a strain between me and one of my closest friends since I was never available to her due to the late-night activities I was engaged in. I also struggle with the belief that my past life is something that I will never be able to live down.

Dani: Self-forgiveness is the first step to getting out of that negative mental space you're in. You may not realize it, but you're not the only person who is dealing with the concept of self-loathing, which it sounds like is what you mean when you question the ability to live down your previous lifestyle. For three years, I was a binge-and-purger, eating to make myself feel better and then throwing up because I was disgusted by what I had done. I isolated myself from my friends, my family, even my teammates because I couldn't tell them what I was doing. It took my sister finding me hunched over a toilet at 2 in the morning with my fingers down my throat to make me see what I was doing to myself. When my parents became aware of it, my mom attempted to use shame to get me to "straighten up", piling upon the guilt I already felt over abusing myself. I got help when I started at Stritch in developing better eating habits, sought out counseling, and found friends that would support me in my struggle. I still have moments when I want to get that quick fix to pull me out of a funk, but I have people who will run to my side to keep me from acting upon the desire. Cali can attest to one instance earlier this year where she, Erin, and Steph prevented me from relapsing.

Marc: The belief that using shame will get someone to change their ways is as false as saying that the earth is flat. Shame, like Dani said, only exacerbates whatever guilt you carry around about your past and its effect on the future.

Lexi: I feel ashamed for having given away so much for very little in return. I got into the business because I was rebelling against my parents' desire to "keep their children on the farm" and because I never viewed myself in the same way others seemed to view me. I substituted physical pleasure for emotional pain, and I was hurting myself in the process.

Marc: I can identify with the notion of using something bad to cover up something worse. My paranoia of people seeking to hurt me resulted in my developing a bit of a Messiah complex, where I would be selfish, arrogant, rude, vindictive, all to make sure no one could ever make me feel as though I were beneath them. The stuff that your teammates discovered about me were things I had done to mask the pain of being ignored or underappreciated because of my shyness and introversion.

Lexi: Why am I feeling as though I shouldn't let Cameron get too close to me, or allow myself to develop feelings for him? He IS cute in a nerdy sort of way, and I've gotten some good intel from Tori about him so I'm prepared come the 5th if things don't get off to a smashing start.

Marc: Two things I will bring up to answer your question. First, you probably don't believe that you deserve someone like Cameron after your actions of the past year. Therefore, you aren't willing to accept the possibility that he will see through that and be able to view you in the same light he does now. A line from "P.S., I Love You" wraps up those thoughts nicely. "We accept the love we think we deserve." You feel undeserving of a normal man's interest, so you sabotage yourself from the ability to receive it. The second idea here is that your past actions have you tied to a version of yourself that subconsciously you're not willing to let go of. Self-forgiveness is the place to start in correcting those cognitive distortions or errors in thinking. You forgive yourself, you pull up out of that pit of regret and self-repudiation, and then you're able to see yourself as you want to be, which changes how you present yourself to others.

Cali: Can I interject, Marc? Lex, you're already doing some of this. I've noticed it in the six weeks we've been back on campus. You're becoming the person you want to be and the changes are showing. Stay the course with the self-discovery and loving the woman housed in your body.

Lexi: Coach, Deacon, how did the two of you find common ground with each other that allowed the feelings you had to come to the surface, and how do I open myself up to Cameron and how he views me to both heal from within and make an emotional connection with him?

Dani: I look back at the first couple of months at Trinity and see that we were both broken individuals, running from bad experiences done both by and to us, but found in one another the right fix-it person. I needed somebody who could love me as I was, which was a person unable to love herself all the time because of my figure and the responses others gave to it.

Marc: I needed a woman who sparked both my inside and my outside, because the latter hadn't been alive in a very long time as a result of blame from my late wife for being mostly impotent for the last half or more of our marriage. Coach Dillon provided the support for me to eventually respond to what I felt on the inside for her.

Dani: And Deacon Schmidt saw the beauty I was unwilling to see in myself, then loved me to the point where I embraced my ability to turn someone on and to be desired for more than a quick check off the sexual bucket list.

Marc: As for the second part of your question, the self-forgiveness and releasing yourself from the shame bubble you're in is the first thing that has to happen. Once you've done that, try to see yourself from his perspective, as someone who he feels might be unattainable, and then defeat that line of logic with him by acting upon whatever you might feel. You said you and Tori have talked about him, but have you told her about you?

Lexi: Yes, that I'm not always as self-confident as I appear on the field and that I'm not a fan of the attention my looks get. Based on what she told me, I think the two of us can find that sweet spot where we mesh. It's just navigating a path to that equilibrium.

Marc: Lexi, clearly you were hitting below your station last year. You're much more intelligent than you probably give yourself credit for, based on how you used equilibrium. Works in that sentence as both a scientific concept and an economic one. Show Cam THAT side of you and you'll have a good chance of getting that connection.

Dani: Believe me, peeling back the additional layers of a person helps develop that connection and strengthens it. I knew a good amount about Marc from our time at MUSC, but seeing him in this job and learning the care he had for the students and how he continued to view me and treat me as a woman of value attracted me to him emotionally like nothing else could.

Marc: Once I realized that I could open up to Dani about my at-home struggles and the mini-frustrations that come from wearing several hats at once, it caused me to begin viewing her as someone who could be both friend and lover.

Lexi: You're DJ'ing the Homecoming dance, correct?

Marc: Yep. Got any requests?

Lexi: "Human" by the Human League?

Marc: Interesting choice.....preemptive strike?

Lexi: Maybe.....

Cali: Can I get one in as well?

Marc: Sure.

Cali: "If You Leave" by OMD. 

Marc: Good one. Dani, any from you?

Dani: Nope, because I know you probably have three or four that I'd suggest, including what's quickly becoming our song.

Marc: You three need to get to practice. Hope I've helped you, Lexi. Cali, tell Matt that I'd like to do that romance session on Wednesday after Lunch Bunch, so get the word spread to the guys and whichever gals you think could use it.

Marc walked the three members of the soccer program to the door, where Lexi offered Marc a hug and thanked him for what he shared and for listening to her concerns without judging her. As Dani exited behind the other two, she and Marc exchanged an air kiss and the ASL sign for crush. With that meeting completed, the chaplain went through his files on the prostitution ring and made some notes relating to Lexi's confessions from earlier.


	37. Strike One

The Thunder women's soccer team's match against Wisconsin Lutheran was several hours away, but a number of players were up early, eager to make amends for their 4-3 loss to Concordia-Chicago two weeks prior and desiring to pick up points for the school in the year-long, all-sports battle between Concordia University Chicago, Trinity Lutheran University, and Wisconsin Lutheran College for the Martin Luther Cup. Lexi and Jordan went down to the beach for some quiet meditation while Amber, Erica, and Cami spent the early morning hours re-watching last night's Philadelphia/Orlando NWSL contest, studying the transition game and defensive coverage that sprung from the Hearts' 4-1-3-2 formation. Cali, Makenna, Kim, Maria, and Amanda chose to play some hacky-sack in the chapel courtyard while waiting for others from the team to arrive for training table.

Entering Siebert, Meg Pierce noticed that Dionne, Carli, and Allie all looked a bit hungover and thought she should ask some of the older players about it after they had gotten their meals and were seated.

Meg (to Robyn): What's up with the three who seem to have just walked in from an all-night study session?

Robyn: Probably too much fun last night, and yeah I don't doubt it that they've had no sleep or very little.

Taylor: I don't know what it is that they do, but their lack of consideration for their bodies or their teammates is becoming a nuisance to us on the field.

Overhearing the conversation the three defenders were having, Lexi chimed in with what she knew to be the case.

Lexi: Meg, I have no doubt they went all night and were studying something, but it probably wasn't academic and I bet they're a bit sore in certain places.

Cali smirked at her teammate's description of the Thunderkats' activities from the previous evening. "I guess we should prepare to play extra hard to make up for what we won't be getting on the field from Carli and Allie."

Dani was eavesdropping on the chatter coming from the team, attempting to determine who in the squad might end up setting off the powder keg of frustration that was simmering over their captain's late-night work. Amber, sitting next to Allie and Erica, listened on and pondered the visible downside of being in the business. She wasn't yet ready to turn her back to it, but she hadn't chosen to take up any requests for either last night or tonight and wondered if Homecoming would be an "all hands (and mouths and you-knows) on deck" weekend where she would be pushed into action.

As brunch wound down, players began walking over to their locker room to suit up for today's encounter with the Warriors. Upon entry, they were greeted by today's first XI on the whiteboard.

\-----------Emily

\-----Erica--Amber--Cassie

Makenna--Allie--Carli------Meg

\----Cali-----Lexi-----Raquel

Some grumbles were heard in the locker room as several players knew this formation was going to result in very little defensive coverage unless they took it upon themselves to play deeper on the field than Sara desired. On the walk over from Buuck to Niemoller, the three defenders talked about how to manage the lack of help expected from most of the midfield.

Erica: I don't see how we can play most of the teams in the NACC with only three players committed to defense. Wisconsin Lutheran beat us last year, 5-1, and that was with us playing a normal four-back defense. How bad will it end up with only three back there?

Amber: IF I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt, it would be that playing so far advanced with the front seven might pin the opposition into their own half, creating turnovers and more frequent scoring opportunities.

Cassie: The XI out there is sort of flexible, in that Meg can drop back into the left back slot, which means Raquel falls back a bit and Makenna pushes forward with Cali and Lexi sliding over.

Erica: I'll keep that in mind if I see things aren't panning out for us.

**********

The stands at Niemoller Field were fuller than usual, mainly because Wisconsin Lutheran had a sizable rooting section. Marc, Erin, Steph, and Matt Benning were seated a few rows up from the grassy incline, with the Millens and Hubbards behind them and Silvano and Graciela Rivera and Allan and Jean Bryant in front of them. Cameron and Tori were in their filming alcove parallel to the north goal, drawing Erin and Steph's attention, with them going over to chat with the pair.

The Warriors were out on the front foot in the opening several minutes, but Trinity's back three and Emily were able to cover the gaps being left by the Thunder's overaggressive approach. As the midfield actually had offensive wing players, Carli and Allie sat back slightly, allowing Makenna and Meg to press ahead. The two were linking up well with Lexi falling back into the hole left between them. A pass from Lexi to Raquel was fed forward to Meg on an overlap. Her cross soared through the box, but Makenna was able to retrieve it and sent in a looping ball that Allie deposited in the net with her head. With the Thunder in the lead, the front seven chose to apply high pressure on Wisconsin Lutheran's back five, resulting in turnovers in their defensive third. Despite re-gaining possession frequently, Trinity was unable to pick up a crucial second goal before halftime.

During the halftime break, Carli and Allie showed little that indicated they could play another 45 minutes. Believing that the Thunder would need to sit on their one-goal lead with her two starting center midfielders out of the match, Sara made several changes to start the second half, which resulted in the following lineup:

\------------------Emily

\-------Erica-------Amber----Cassie

Taylor-------------Maria-------------Cami

\------Makenna-----Kim------Raquel

\------------------Jordan

As the team took the field to restart the match, Erica called the players into a huddle and gave them a bit of encouragement.

Erica: This lineup she's put out is bull. We're going to be inviting pressure the entire 45 minutes and I'm not sure we can keep them off the board doing that. So here's what we'll do. Start out the way Sara wrote it down, then once we get possession far enough up the field, Taylor and Cami, drop back alongside me and Cassie. Amber, slide up to where Maria is and Maria, go up and partner Kim at center mid. It's a 4-1-4-1 that can flex into a 4-1-3-2 or 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 depending on how the four players behind Jordan move and where they end up. We are going to win this game IN SPITE OF Carli and Allie's selfishness. Thunder on three. One, Two, Three.

ALL: THUNDER!

In the stands, Mike Millen asked Marc about the changes made at halftime.

Marc: Sara pulled Carli and Allie for looked like fatigue on their parts. With them out, she seems to think that they're not going to be able to generate much in the way of offense and went super-defensive with a 3-3-3-1, using Jordan as a target for the rest of the team to aim at and to annoy Wisconsin Lutheran's defensive players. It's a wise move, but not this early. She is just asking the Warriors to come at her team and Jordan being the only player committed beyond midfield is not enough of a threat to keep their center backs from cheating up and dragging her into her own half.

The Thunder kicked off, with Maria sending a booming ball out of the bounds around 15 yards short of the end line. With field position now to their advantage, the players moved ahead and slipped into their self-designed formation. Raquel picked off the throw-in and passed the ball ahead to Jordan, whose shot was parried out of play by the WLC goalkeeper. Kim took the corner kick, connecting with Jordan's head to double the Thunder's advantage. Seven minutes later, Kim slipped through a hole left between the two left-sided backs and was tripped by the Warriors' goalkeeper, resulting in a penalty kick. Kim stepped to the spot and delivered a well-struck ball that the keeper had no hope of saving. After 56 minutes, Trinity had managed to jump out to a 3-0 lead.

Around the 70 minute mark, Sara subbed in Robyn for Amber and Dionne for Cassie, unaware of the positions those two players had taken up over the previous 25 minutes. With the team needing to reset itself to accommodate the additions, Wisconsin Lutheran proceeded to cut the lead to 3-1 in the 73rd minute and 3-2 in the 79th minute. After the second goal was conceded, Sara sent on Lexi and Cali for Raquel and Makenna, returning to a three-player front line, with Jordan moving out to the left side and Lexi taking up the center position. The insertion of the two forwards pulled the Thunder into a 3-3-1-3 with Kim slotted in-between the forwards and midfield. The Thunder defense held its nerve, with Maria making a spirited charge with the ball to change field position and allow Cali, Lexi, and Jordan to push the Warriors toward their own goal line. When the clock had made its way to triple zeroes, there was an audible sigh of relief both in the stands and on the bench as Trinity Lutheran had held on to win, 3-2.

**********

Tori set up outside the south gate in the hopes of getting a few words from Kim and Jordan on their second-half theatrics. When Lexi walked by, she stopped and smiled sweetly at Cameron, then told Tori that she'd catch up with the two after showering and dressing. Coach Manning gave a self-congratulatory soundbite to the incipient reporter before making her way to the athletic center. Marc gave both his favorite Trinity soccer player and favorite soccer coach hugs and congratulations for their efforts, then told them he'd like a recap of what happened at halftime and the resulting mutiny on the field in the second half. Cali got a "well-done" kiss from Matt, bringing out hoots of approval from Maria and Amber.

In the locker room, Sara praised the effort of the team and told them to rest up tomorrow in preparation for three matches the following week (Wednesday at Benedictine University, Saturday at Marian University, and Sunday's Homecoming match against Eureka College). Once their coach had left, Carli took command of the room.

Carli: To back up what Coach said, we played hard, we took the game to the other team and were able to hang on for an important win. We're 3-2 in conference, which is a good place to be going into the second half of the season. Bravo, Kim, for taking the playing time you've gotten and making the most of it. Same goes for Maria and Jordan. Anyone got something to add?

Lexi had bit her tongue about as long as she could and was now going to put her team's trollops on alert.

Lexi: I for one think we played an excellent game considering we were handicapped AGAIN by the actions of certain individuals. This is the fourth or fifth straight weekend match where you, Carli, along with Allie have been either "under the weather" or at a loss for energy or were rested. Would you like to tell the team WHY this is the case?!

Carli walked over to Lexi and got within a few inches of her. "I don't think you want to go there, little girl. Who knows what might come out, and I wouldn't want your precious admirer getting his wittle heart shattered were he to find out that you're nothing but a two-faced unappreciative skank."

Lexi: Go ahead, and I will bring down your brothel so fast you won't even make it to Fall break before getting booted from the team and the school!

At this point, Cali, Jordan, and Erica were standing behind Lexi, with Dionne, Allie, and Emily seconding Carli.

Carli: I wouldn't count on that. Gavin loves me, Sara loves me, and it's because I am good in soliciting big donations for the athletic department.

Lexi: You're right when you say you're good at soliciting, but I don't think you will last long here once EVERYTHING comes out. They will drop you like a hot potato when you're no longer useful to them, or if you get into trouble, like you should have for the tricks turned at Churchwide.

Carli kept her composure, then walked out with her three co-workers behind her. Erica watched Amber exit behind them and was disappointed in her supporting those responsible for the team's on-again, off-again performances. The three forwards and their captain changed quickly and met Tori, Cameron, and Matt outside the locker room, desperate to deflate from their standoff with the head Thunderkat and her minions.


	38. Day By Day

On Sunday, Michelle, Dawson, Ben, and Megan came over to Marc's house for an afternoon of fellowship with him and Dani. The chaplain also invited Matt because he felt being in the midst of the three couples would be good for his nephew. Matt asked if he could bring someone with him, to which Marc agreed.

After lunch, Marc got the men together in the backyard for some Cornhole and a guy chat, leaving the women to their own gabfest while doting over Natalie.

Marc: Dawson, you and Michelle are what, seven months in? Any thoughts on the future yet?

Dawson: Not really. I want to get done with law school and pass the bar before I consider "the next step".

Ben: How does Michelle feel about that?

Dawson: She understands and is supportive of my plan, as I am with her possibly coaching basketball at Maple Dale this winter. By the way, Marc, two things about that. One, she's been reading through your coaching module handbook in preparation, and I was able to find a professor at Marquette who can help you with the trust contest.

Marc: Good deal on both fronts.

Matt: Old guys, how did you get so lucky to land babes so much younger than you?

Marc and Ben looked at each other, then shared with the other three the details of meeting and then committing to their partners. Dawson, having a front-row seat to Ben's courtship of Megan, described from his perspective how his dad balanced his need for companionship with his responsibilities to him and his sister, plus how Lily responded to their developing relationship and eventual marriage.

Marc: Billy, you've been sort of quiet, and I know you're NOT that quiet from what Cam tells me about you and Tori. How have the first few weeks been for you at Trinity?

Billy Abrams: Academically, good. Socially, a little flat, but I think sis and I have a plan to change that, with a bit of Matt's help.

Marc: Do I DARE want to know what he is cooking up?

Matt: It's not bad at all. In fact, Erin and Steph are sort of behind my getting to know Billy and helping him with this, as it affects their team somewhat.

Marc remembered back to their conversation at the women's soccer match against UW-Stout and mentally filled in the other characters involved.

Billy: I've heard that one of the lacrosse players has had her eye on me for a couple of weeks, but we haven't been in the same place long enough for me to find out if it's true or not. Now, her roommate made a serious play on Tori last weekend during a game of Truth or Dare in Augsburg, so the plan is to let Tori try to stir up something with the roomie, which will put me in prime position to get to know Danielle.

Marc nodded and told the two freshmen that it sounded like a reasonable way to become more acquainted with Steph and Danny. He also took into his confidence the information Billy gave concerning his sister's sexual orientation.

Marc: You might have more success by going to the Homecoming dance on Saturday night. I'll be spinning the tunes with Matt assisting. We'll talk about setting you up with an opportunity to make your play, and perhaps spur some others along as well at the same time.

Ben: Something similar to the set-up you did with a few of the female athletes at the Sock Hop in February?

Marc: Somewhat, but not as obvious since that one involved definite couples and this one won't.

The ladies came outside to see what their menfolk were doing. After a few minutes of watching and listening, Megan told Ben that they should be leaving so Natalie could get a proper nap before her 8pm feeding. Dawson drove Matt and Billy back to campus, with Dani and Michelle departing after dinner. Marc used the rest of the evening to continue work on the Homecoming dance song list and to write Dr. Jerald McManus at the Marquette Law School.

**********

After morning classes, Lexi, Tori, and Morgan went to Luther's Landing for lunch. Seeing Amber eating by herself, Lexi asked her to join the three of them. She moved from her table to theirs and, once everyone had gotten food and sat down, asked Lexi about Saturday's fight.

Amber: What made you go off on Carli and the others after the game on Saturday?

Lexi: I'm just so damn tired of working my rump off so we have a chance to win games and not seeing the same dedication from others because they're too busy doing what they do on the weekends.

Morgan: Are you referring to the "alumni relations" work?

Lexi: You know about that, Morgan?

Morgan: I overheard a conversation between your coach and our former coach several months ago pertaining to it. I took the information I gathered to Deacon Schmidt, but he was unable to use it because of my role with the Trinity Times, saying the evidence was obtained by something akin to a wire tap.

Lexi: I so much want to blow the whistle, but I don't want to have the season go south with all the damage that will be done with dismissals and suspensions coming to a number of our players.

Amber: After seeing what we had to do to get and then save those three points against Wisconsin Lutheran, I think I'm done with playing their game.

Lexi: Why did you end up following them out if you're against what they do?

Amber: I figured that I could join your little battalion when I was out of their sight. The risk of certain consequences was too high to stand up to them then.

Tori listened to the other three women and had trouble making much sense out of it.

Tori: What's going on here that I don't seem to know about?

Lexi: I can't say too much about it right now, but stop by my room this evening because I'd like you to do an exclusive with me on the matter.

Morgan: And thus what you tell her can wind its way to someone who can bring the thing down?

Tori: Not exactly, as it would be hearsay. Lex, I'll stop by somewhere around 8. That work?

Lexi: Sounds good.

**********

A leisurely Tuesday was interrupted by a knock at Marc's door just after 8am. He answered it and was served a summons from the Clerk of Circuit Court to appear in front of Judge Laura Granger Peralta at 9:00AM on Thursday, October 24, 2019 in the matter of Wolff v. Estate of Danielle Schmidt, Case #2019PR000328. After he had a couple of minutes to read over the summons and accompanying information, a bit of a smirk came across Marc's face as he now had a bit of a trump card in play to defeat the challenge. He sent a group text to Erin, Dani, Steph, and Matt telling them to meet him by Parking Lot A as soon after 12:15 as possible for a off-campus lunch confab. After dressing and scarfing down a couple packages of Swiss Cake Rolls, Marc left the house and drove to campus.

During his closed-door morning, Marc went through the original filing, his response, and Roger's response to the response. He also was made privy to some of the evidence his brother-in-law would use to prove fraud and breach of fiduciary duty, which he would share with Kathy, Amber, and Dr. McManus once he could schedule a meeting with the three of them. Before departing for lunch, Marc read through his email and saw one sent by Casey to Gavin and Coach Manning and bcc'd to him concerning Carli Lowe's academic status, asking the two of them to restrict the junior to practice and home matches until she is able to pull up her projected grades to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress following Fall semester and thus be eligible for Spring semester enrollment. He then left his office and exited Luther, then saw his lunch companions sitting on the hood and trunk of his car. After it was unlocked, the five of them got in and took off for Culver's.

**********

Marc: The reason I've called all of you together is that Roger has been granted a court date for his challenge of Danielle's trust. I won't be able to cut your checks next week, Erin and Matt, because of a freeze placed on the remaining assets and it will be sometime in November when I hope to do so.

Dani: Were you able to get the judge to restrict his case to the fraud and breach of fiduciary duty questions?

Marc: No. Found out those will be matters for objection during direct and cross-examination.

Erin: So what happens if he wins?

Marc: The trust is declared void and her estate is divided according to the intestate succession laws of Wisconsin. Depending on the judge's interpretation of those laws, Roger and Brenda's shares will increase while yours and Matt's, along with Sam's and Zach's, will decrease if not be eliminated.

Matt: But you're going to win the case, right?

Marc: I should, because my accountant and attorney did a marvelous job of documenting the changes I made concerning the Urban Coaching Project ahead of Danielle and I updating the trust on March 19th. Roger is planning to call into question Dani's contract with UCP, which in his response he claims defrauded the trust's beneficiaries of inheritable resources by unnecessarily increasing the outlays for the organization, reducing net income. There is also the possibility he will try to claim that Danielle was co-owner of UCP as a result of marriage and therefore I will have to buy him, Brenda, and any other heirs out of their shares of the company.

Marc handed Dani the summons to read over.

Marc: The only upside in all of this is who was assigned the case. When I got the initial notice of Roger's challenge, I looked at the Circuit Court's website to see who handled probate cases. I was hoping that the luck of the draw would get ours placed on Judge Peralta's docket.

Dani: Why's that?

Marc: Remember my little walk through history during one of last year's worship services?

Steph: Yes, and I said I didn't believe some of the references you made.

Marc: Here's one that comes home to roost in my favor. Judge Laura Granger Peralta is the daughter of former Chief Municipal Judge Jim Granger, my U10 soccer coach with the Kickers. I'm sure Roger doesn't know that, and she might not know of my connection to her dad and their extended family since we were separated by five years in school and only overlapped at Garfield when I was in Kindergarten and first grade. Her younger sister, who is one year my senior, she and I were schoolmates for the duration of my time at Garfield, along with three of their cousins. I ended up going to Riverside with two of those three. Their brother and Jim's two daughters went to Dufus King.

Erin laughed at Marc's reference to his alma mater's arch rival. Steph reminded her girlfriend about the little secret that they're sitting on concerning one of their fellow peer ministers, making sure she didn't follow up Marc's stab with her own. Erin got the message and diverted from the path her brain wanted to run.

Erin: Ahhhhhhh.....so planning to play on your connections to win this?

Marc: I don't think I'll need to, but I have a trump card I can use should it be necessary.

Matt: You see why I want him to teach me everything he knows?!

Steph, Erin, and Dani chuckled a little, with the first two rolling their eyes at each other.

Marc: Patience, grasshopper. Oh, and I don't give away ALL my tricks and secrets. Gotta stay one-up on those around me.

Dani: Have you contacted the professor at Marquette that Dawson suggested?

Marc: Did that on Sunday night. Waiting for a response before I reach out to Kathy and Amber to set up a meeting for next Tuesday or Thursday to get our trial strategy figured out.

As the five of them left Culver's, Marc and Dani and Steph and Erin held hands, which caused Matt to josh them a little. They got in Marc's Intrepid and were back on campus in five minutes, allowing the three students to make their 2:00 classes and Dani to start preparing for practice.


	39. You Must Remember This

Marc's homily on Wednesday focused on the concept of loving-kindness and how it pulls together forgiveness, compassion, mercy, grace, and empathy to make and maintain community through the missteps and disagreements of life. He brought up several examples from the first 15 months of his tenure as chaplain to show how people sometimes act in ways that exemplify the underlying tenets of the concept and at other times do not.

Marc: Saturday night, there will be a major all-campus event happening in Tietjen Hall. I'm sure a good number of you are already planning to attend and going to certain lengths to make your experience memorable. There will probably be times that night when you will be put in the potentially awkward position of disappointing someone. Remember your humanity and try to do so with the greatest level of care and consideration for the other person as possible. A harsh word or statement can do a lot more harm than you realize, and we all have to live together in this space for give or take eight months out of the year, so intentionally creating discord in the name of honesty is something that should be avoided. Be kind, be gentle, and understand some day the shoe might be on the other foot and you would want the same treatment in that instance. I will be holding a small workshop this afternoon at 4:00 in the Lake Shore Room for anyone interested in exploring this further and perhaps brushing up on your communication skills ahead of Saturday.

Marc then asked the congregation to bow their heads in prayer and moved on with the remainder of the service, with Julie and Abby serving as his Communion Assistants.

**********

The primary conversation at Lunch Bunch in Siebert revolved around how to practice loving-kindness while also being honest about one's intentions and emotions.

Corey: Ali and I have been together now for about a year, but it really hasn't developed much beyond the label and visiting one another's families on occasion. I don't know how committed she is to me or vice-versa. How do you have that conversation without getting into a shouting match or accusing one another of not caring?

Marc: That's a tough question. Anyone have experience with this?

Emma: Savannah and I do, to some extent. When we returned to U-School the fall after starting to date, we had to keep our relationship off the radar, which wasn't hard during field hockey season since we played together and everyone knew we were best friends. Once basketball started, I felt a bit hurt when she chose not to come to any of our home games. Combined with not seeing her much away from school, that lack of contact made me wonder if our pairing up was a mistake or perhaps she wasn't really into me as a girlfriend.

Savannah: Over winter break, we had time to hang out and Emma asked me straight-out if I was looking to drop her as my girl. I was shocked that she even thought I was considering it. We talked out what she was seeing and feeling and how I was attempting to keep our relationship under wraps visually, which meant containing our interaction to the two sports seasons we played together and when we were away from campus. Corey, you've got to come out and ask Ali. Put your heart out there and explain what you're seeing. If you don't, she might get the impression that you don't care, which makes it real easy for the two of you to drift apart and allow another person to enter the equation.

Abby: Are there any gender or orientation restrictions for today's workshop?

Marc: Heck no! Most of what I and Dr. Oliphant present and model might pertain more to the guys than the gals, but it's 2019 and women can be just as much in pursuit of someone as men are. I also think it's a good idea for people who swing the other way to learn how to engage with their partners in situations that are mostly geared to opposite-sex couples.

Cameron: I've got the date with Lexi, but now I need to figure out what to actually DO on it.

Corey: I've learned that being yourself is more important than being perfect in your actions. Having the best intentions and being conscientious about your person's likes, dislikes, and passions goes a long way. Maybe find a way to pick her roommate's brain and then act upon what you learn.

Marc: Good idea, Corey.

Katelyn: I wish I could attend the workshop, but I'm going to be at training table at 4 ahead of tonight's game against Edgewood. After all, *I* asked *her* to the dance, unlike our first date.

Alyssa: Soccer is off tomorrow, so some of their players along with the lacrosse ones are planning to do the second-hand shopping circuit to look for dresses. We can go after I return from practice at the ice arena. Ask a couple of others to join us and I can give you a bit of advice based on how I've taken the lead at times with Kristie.

Savannah: Add me and Emma in.

Marc: I need to head back to my office to meet with Dr. Oliphant and decide what to focus on for the workshop. Hope to see some of you there.

Marc left Siebert and returned to his office, stopping at the Lake Shore Room on the way to get a feel for what could be accomplished in the space before creating his part of the lesson plan.

**********

Ben Oliphant: Welcome to our crash course in Romance 101. Before we start, I'd like to know what kind of a split we have here. How many of you have a significant other?

Matt Benning and Corey were the only two who raised their hands.

Ben: How many have a date for Saturday night's dance?

Cameron, Abby, and Becca raised their hands.

Ben: And therefore the rest of you are what I'd call "on the prowl". Fairly even split across the categories.

Marc: Our focus will be on helping those in relationships up the charm and wow factor for their beloveds, those who are going to Saturday night's event with someone move the needle from Point A to Point B with them, and those on the bench to get into the game. We'll start with a short Q-and-A session that Ben will lead while I attempt to balance the numbers with the addition of a couple more women. Following that, we'll focus on the last group first and do a logical progression from getting someone's attention to keeping it to building on it. 

While Ben ran the Q-and-A, Marc went on a quick circle between the interlinked buildings at the center of campus, getting Ashley Sasser from Human Resources in Luther, Lauren Fowler from the School of Health Professions, and Casey Schultz from the Sports and Fitness center. When he returned, he took over the proceedings.

Marc: If any of you were at worship earlier today, I referenced the idea of loving-kindness and how I hoped students would remember to act from that perspective should they choose to turn potential suitors down at the dance. We're going to do some hands-on practice of the approach, the ask, and the turn-down, or in some cases, the acceptance. Pair up with someone, and no it doesn't have to be opposite-sex pairings. If you're comfortable enough with your partner, you can take the exercise further and start an actual conversation.

The students and staff members paired up and did some role play using the scenario Marc described. Abby and Becca ended up delving into a back-and-forth about the difficulty of trying to "date" as a young lesbian, with hanging out or pal excursions being the more likely means of spending time together, or just skipping all of the courtship and moving right to "being together". Matt Olson hammed up his practice with Ashley, believing he could use his sense of humor to sway her off the "I'm married and here with my husband" defense. Marc stepped in and reminded his nephew about the fine line between not taking no for an answer and harassing the individual. Bob Covington, Tietjen Hall director, and Lauren Fowler discussed the pitfalls of being the new kid in the department and the at-times insular nature of university life (i.e., the lack of crossover between schools, departments, or academics vs. athletics vs. student affairs) that made developing connections on-campus trying.

Ben: How did everyone feel about that session?

Gretchen Siebert: It was a bit awkward, because I'm not used to being the one to have to approach a guy. Then again, I've had little or no luck sitting around and waiting for one to approach ME. It was good, mind you, in that it got me out of my comfort zone, but the starting-up-something is just tough when you're a bit nerdy and self-conscious.

Marc: Can anyone identify with that feeling?

Cameron: I definitely can. My twin brother and sister are both a lot more outgoing than me, but Tori has given me great support in being more forward, as have a number of the guys here.

The class moved onto the other two segments of the workshop, focusing on going from a first date to a second and beyond, then injecting additional romance to deepen the affection and connection between one's self and their boyfriend/girlfriend. When the workshop ended, Marc thanked everyone for attending and reminded them to leave song suggestions on the clipboard at the door. He then individually thanked Lauren, Ashley, and Casey for helping him out and being good sports about interacting with the young men. Gretchen stuck around after the others left and Marc spoke with her.

Gretchen: Deacon Schmidt, thanks for putting this on. Never thought the chaplain would be in the business of matchmaking.

Marc: There are lot of things I am that most wouldn't expect for a person in my position. Don't think I caught your name earlier.

Gretchen: Gretchen Siebert.

Marc: Like the dining hall?

Gretchen: Yes. It's named after a distant relative of mine who was heavy into Lutheran philanthropy, according to my grandfather.

Marc: So you're a bit of a legacy, then.

Gretchen: I wouldn't call myself that. Fact is, neither of my parents did the traditional college thing and they wanted me to get the best education I could. Just so happened that Concordia had a computer science program and was relatively close to home, and that's how I got here.

Marc: One of the rare breed on this campus, a junior.

Gretchen: Yep.

Marc: Where are you from?

Gretchen: Milwaukee, born-and-raised. Near 60th and Mill.

Marc: MPS or private school?

Gretchen: MPS. My parents couldn't afford to send me elsewhere. Started at Barton, then onto Webster for middle and Washington for high school.

Marc: Hence the computer science interest. Pretty rough road to get here, but you must be a pretty good student or an extremely hard worker to have taken that path and landed at Concordia two years ago.

Gretchen: I'm guessing you're an MPS grad as well if you know about the schools I mentioned?

Marc: Yes, but my road through was NOT paved like that. Cass Street for pre-K, Garfield K-5, Robinson 6-8, and Riverside 9-12. Garfield and Robinson no longer exist, but the combined education between the two would be the equivalent today of going to MacDowell K-8. I was lucky in that the district's efforts to integrate the schools placed a magnet program at Garfield that attracted a fair number of us from the west side of the city, the part I call East East Tosa. Once there, it was the feeder system that got me to Robinson and then Riverside since they both had the same specialty as Garfield, Open Education.

Gretchen: It's been great talking with you, Deacon. I'll have to tell my parents that our chaplain is a local boy and see if they can tell me anything about the two schools you mentioned that no longer exist, since they went through the system and I'm guessing are around your age.

Marc: My door is always open, even if my wallet isn't. Take care.

Marc and Gretchen walked out of the Lake Shore Room and headed in opposite directions, with the junior off to dinner in the dining hall that bore her family name and the chaplain to his office for a few minutes before leaving for home.

**********

Carli's confinement to campus meant that Sara would have to find a new midfield partner for Allie for today's game against Benedictine. Still committed to the all-out attack that has been used over the past three matches, she chose to have Amanda pair up with Allie, believing that she was a better choice than Maria or Kim at playing side-by-side with the incumbent starter. The opening 20 minutes looked like a game of kick-and-chase, as the Eagles attempted to take advantage of the Thunder's three-player back line and Trinity sought to counterattack quickly through Raquel and Lexi down the left side. With little possession occurring, Sara brought on Kim for Jordan and asked her to lie back from Cali and Lexi slightly, allowing the two sophomore strikers to play off one another and more with their backs to goal. A goal kick from Emily was won by Cali, who headed it down to Kim and turned in pursuit of the penalty area. Kim's pass to Makenna was carried to the end line, where she sent in a cross that found Amanda at the top of the 18. Her one-time strike skittered past the partially-screened Eagles' goalkeeper and rippled the back of the net, staking the Thunder to a 1-0 lead they would carry into the locker room at halftime.

Determined to stay on the front foot, Sara pressed on with the lineup which scored the opening goal. Makenna and Raquel pushed further into the attack and the team was rewarded by a succession of tallies from their forwards, with Lexi and Cali each getting two goals. Late-game substitutions resulted in Maria knocking home another headed score and Erica putting away a penalty kick. The 7-0 thrashing of Benedictine showed the true potential of Trinity's soccer program, one that wasn't held back today by poor decision-making on the part of either the head coach or its captain.

**********

Back in Mequon, the women's volleyball team took on Edgewood College in an important NACC match. Both teams stood at 4-1 in the conference, one game behind Aurora and Lakeland. Jamie was hoping her team could make short work of the Eagles as they will face the conference co-leaders in their next two contests (Lakeland at home on Saturday and Aurora on the road next Wednesday). Katelyn's production both on the kill and as a reliable setter when Alanna and Veronica are utilized on the front line earned her an unexpected start tonight in place of Elise. Set One was hard-fought, with the Thunder pulling away to win it, 25-21. The second set, much like the first, was close throughout, though the Eagles ended up evening the match with a 28-26 win. At 14-13 of the third set, Alanna came down awkwardly on a kill attempt and rolled her left ankle. Elise was brought on and Katelyn moved to the outside hitter position. Between the service of Claire, the deception of Elise's setting, and Katelyn and Veronica's offensive power, the Thunder ran off the next 11 points to win the set, 25-13. With their spirits deflated, Edgewood put up little resistance the rest of the way, succumbing to the Thunder 25-7 in Set Four and three sets to one.


	40. Back In Time

Homecoming Saturday at Trinity Lutheran University was quite a success on the athletic fields. At Schreiber Stadium, the Thunder football team outlasted Concordia-Chicago, 42-36, and picked up another victory for TLU toward the Martin Luther Cup. Over in Buuck Field House, the women's volleyball team gave Lakeland their first loss of the conference season, pulling out a five-set victory in a match than went well over three hours (18-25, 27-25, 29-27, 28-30, 21-19). On the pitch at Niemoller Field, the men's soccer team played to a 2-2 tie with Marian University, while the women's team lost 4-1 to the Sabres in Fond du Lac.

**********

Katelyn and Tori were getting dressed for the Homecoming dance while discussing their plans for the evening ahead.

Katelyn: How do you think Abby will react when she sees me?

Tori: If it's anything like how she did when you and her went out with the other couples on the floor a couple of weeks ago, you might want to carry an AED unit. Seriously, you look great.

Katelyn: Thanks. Having Steph and Alyssa around has helped me embrace my size and shape, and I think Coach Dillon's example of owning her sexiness in a body that isn't a Size 6 makes me want to appeal to Abby's less-chaste side. Now you, Tori, look really cute with the gloves and peep-toes with bows. Planning to have your eye on anyone tonight?

Tori: Probably won't see who I want to see since the dance doesn't seem to be her kind of scene, but maybe her roommate will encourage her to come.

Down the hall, Steph, Erin, and Alyssa were having their own dress-and-gossip session.

Steph (to Alyssa): Kristie is going to take one look at you and will want to get you OUT OF THAT, and I wouldn't blame her.

Alyssa: Maybe it's time she does. We've been intimate now and again, but nothing earth-shattering like I've heard come from the two of you on occasion.

Erin: My girl knows just the right places to touch me to get that response, plus we've had a bit of practice due to my having a bedroom at Marc's.

Cali knocked on Steph and Alyssa's door, then walked in with her dress and shoes. She caught the other three up on how her game went, then quickly got into her outfit for the night. Over in Tietjen, Danny had finished getting ready and was attempting to get her roommate to join her as a wing woman.

Danny: Please, Steph, just for a little while so I'm not being thrown to the hungry male wolves from the outset.

Steph M.: Dances are just hard when you're not with someone and you're not "normal", as girls don't necessarily think to approach you.

Danny: Maybe we can throw something together that WILL get you noticed by the right demo.

Danny roamed through her closet and found something she thought would show off Steph's best features and send the right message. She passed it to her and asked her to try it on.

Danny: This was my first choice until I came across the red velvet one. I think that shouts "badass" loud enough. What do you think?

Steph M.: It works. I'm not guaranteeing I'll stay the whole night, but I'll help you stave off the leeches until you come across someone worth spending your time with.

Danny: Thanks, bud.

**********

Down in the basement of Tietjen, Marc and his nephew Matt were getting the music set up and taking in the last-minute decorating being done by the hall's resident assistants. Gretchen arrived way ahead of time due to the boredom of sitting around her room. When she saw Marc, she walked over to him and the two of them went off to the side to chat, leaving Matt to play around with the current order of Marc's song list, hoping he doesn't notice once the dance is underway.

Gretchen: I talked to my parents about you, and they were wondering what years you went to the schools you mentioned, as my dad thinks he might have overlapped with you at Garfield.

Marc: I went to Garfield from 77-83, Robinson 83-86, and Riverside 86-90.

Gretchen: So that'd put you somewhere around your late 40's?

Marc: Yes. I'm 47.

Gretchen: Same age give or take as my parents, so you wouldn't have just overlapped a year or two with Dad, you most likely went to school together for most of those years.

Marc ran his mind through the catalog of people he's known to try and remember if there was a Siebert somewhere in his elementary school days.

Marc: I think there was one kid in my second grade class with the last name of Siebert. Bit of a tough guy. Snookered his way into nabbing the first girl I ever looked at as something other than a tomboy or teammate. What was his first name........Greg. Greg Siebert.

Gretchen: That's my dad.

Marc: Small world! The second-grade thing wasn't the only time he got in my way on someone. A girl I went to middle school with, I had my eye on for most of that 6th grade year. Classic 80s tweener. Your dad was going somewhere else for middle school and I came to find out they were dating, because he came to Robinson once for some dance we were having in the cafeteria.

Gretchen: Sounds like my mom. I've seen pictures from WAY BACK when her and my godmother were in school together and she definitely had the 80s vibe down to a T.

Marc: That would have been 35 years ago. NO WAY it could be the same person I'm thinking of, because the odds of meeting your eventual spouse at 12 are just too low.

Gretchen: I don't know. My mom and dad have been together since 7th grade or so. Broke up a couple of times along the way, but eventually got back together and stayed together.

Marc: Hmmm....your mom's name wouldn't happen to be Stefani?

Gretchen: It is, but she doesn't spell it like you would expect.

Marc: F instead of ph and no e at the end?

Gretchen: That'd be correct. So you knew her as well.

Marc: Yeah. A very interesting three years with her in my homeroom and the pint-size best friend of hers that most of the boys teased because Mother Nature didn't stick around long when she got her puberty visit.

Gretchen: You mean.....

Marc: Flat as a surfboard.

Gretchen: That's Aunt Barbara alright.

Marc: Amazing that they're still in cahoots after all these years. I better go check on Boy Wonder to make sure he's not setting up some unexpected fireworks for later.

Gretchen wandered off to give her parents a call with her newly-learned facts. When Marc got back to the mini-stage, he saw Dani, Ben and Megan, and Dawson and Michelle. After looking the women over and giving his partner a light peck on the lips, he brought out the compliments.

Marc: All of you are looking like 10s tonight. One, I hope your men have told you so already, and two, don't be shy about rockin' your outfits. Deuce, I'm surprised you're not wearing heels.

Dani: I thought about it, but the idea of spending 4 hours on my feet dancing and moving around with 4" spikes jamming into the bottom of my foot made think twice. That, and the ankle was a little stiff when I got up this morning. Must have done something to it in training yesterday.

Ben (to Marc): I know you're going to be busy for most if not all the night, so would you mind if I took Dani for a spin or two on the dance floor?

Marc: If Megan's OK with you stepping out on her like that, I'm good. It will keep the questions about the two of us to a minimum hopefully.

Megan: You do that, I get to dance with your son.

Michelle: And what about me?

Dani: Steal Cali's boyfriend and we'll get the other Matt involved.

Marc: Speaking of him, I have a favor to ask of you and the girls. Hopefully they get here a few minutes before 8.

Dani kissed Marc again and left him to his work while she and the rest of their group went toward the back of the room to wait for others from their MUSC at TLU posse to show up.

**********

Lexi and Jordan were speeding through their preparations as the team bus returned to Trinity just before 7pm. While Lexi was sprucing up her hair and adding a bit of make-up, Jordan asked her about Cam and what she was expecting out of tonight.

Jordan: So this Cam character, I know he's Tori's brother and is a bit awkward. How much else do you know about him, and did you actually accept his request to not make him feel bad or is there some interest in him?

Lexi: I didn't have another offer at that point, and frankly having a "normal" guy ask me out felt special, because it was unexpected. As for where things head, I know enough to make an attempt at pulling him out of his shell, and I know he's been getting help from several corners of the university to prepare for tonight. Whether it leads to something or not, we'll have to wait and see.

Cameron and Matt Benning met in the Augsburg lobby, then walked up the two flights of stairs to the third floor, where their dates resided. Matt went to Steph and Alyssa's room, since Cali told him she would be there, while Cam stopped at Katelyn and Tori's room first to get a few words of encouragement from his sister. After that, he came back down the hall to Lexi and Jordan's room, where he greeted his partner for the evening with a small corsage. A large portion of the floor were heading out at this time for the walk over to Tietjen, passing through Katharine along the way. Abby was waiting in the Katharine lobby for Katelyn and the rest to come by, then joined them for the remainder of the trip.


	41. Dance With Me

The community room on the lower level of Tietjen Hall had begun filling up with students, faculty, and staff. When the Augsburg 3 contingent and their comrades arrived, Marc hustled to get Erin, Steph, and Dani together for a quick talk.

Marc: I need a favor from you three tonight. Help Matty Boy get some cred.

Erin: I thought that was the LAST thing you wanted, him using you to score points.

Marc: There are two types of cred. One version is the kind you get as part of a group, like you and Steph have as members of the lacrosse team or as part of my office and inner circle, where it's conferred onto you by others. The version I'm against is the latching onto someone to put yourself over with people. Be a pal, drag him on the floor for a number or two, introduce him to people you know, let him be seen with you. He'll enjoy the limelight and it won't be him shining the light on himself.

Dani: I think Aunt Dani might be the best person to lead this because having a 25-year-old expressing interest in him will be a huge boost to the ego and will make him look good.

Marc: I love you, princess.

Erin and Steph: Awwwww.

Dani: And I adore you, my soulmate.

Marc and Dani squeezed one another's hand before he left the room to get ready for the start of the dance. At that time, Matt Olson nabbed Cameron and Matt Benning to help him with the evening's introduction segment. After cluing them in on what they needed to do, Matt went back to the front of the room and Cameron and Matt B. went into the hallway to perform their task. At 8:00, Tietjen Hall director Bob Covington got up on the mini-stage and gave a few remarks welcoming everyone to tonight's dance, then handed the microphone over to Matt.

Matt O.: On the stage at this time, a freshman Pre-Med major from Blaine, MN, M.C. MATTY OOOOOOOOOOO!

The crowd gave him a smattering of applause. Once they had quieted, the lights were turned way down and Matt queued up "Also Sprach Zarathustra" to introduce the night's record-spinner. Cameron and Matt opened the doors and Marc started his stroll to the stage in a feathered robe over his outfit for the evening. He did a small 360 spin two or three steps inside the room, then let out a "WOOOOOO" and continued his way toward the front as Matt spoke over the music.

Matt: And tonight's Master of Ceremonies, HE IS the inaugural chaplain of Trinity Lutheran University. Known by some as Mad Dog or the Towering Inferno, to those in the ELCA entertainment world, he is the one, the only D. J. MARCY MARC!

Once Marc had arrived on stage, Matt went to him and removed the robe before the night's first song was played, "Start Me Up" by the Rolling Stones. That was followed up by "Hungry Heart" by Bruce Springsteen, "Gimme All Your Lovin'" by ZZ Top, and "She Drives Me Crazy" by Fine Young Cannibals. The dance floor had been pretty well-populated for the opening few songs, but Marc was ready to let the romance of the evening begin.

Marc: The 1980s were known for pop, soft rock and love songs. There are probably more slow songs on tonight's playlist than the standard college dance, and I hope you take advantage of that to seek out a special someone if you're not taken, and to grow closer to your person if you are. The slow music will grow more intimate as the night goes on. For starters, here's one that I think everyone can relate to when they're starting out on the road of love. "Human" by the Human League.

Lexi took Cameron's hand and led him out to the dance floor, then placed her hands around his waist and swayed to the music with him, mouthing some of the words when their eyes would meet. Erin had pulled Matt away from his duties to dance with her, leaving Steph to sit out this round. Sarah and Wil were enjoying a spin on the floor at their first event as a semi-official couple. Wil complimented Sarah on her look for the evening and reached up to peck her cheek at the conclusion of the song.

The next song, Jack Wagner's "All I Need", got several other couples onto the dance floor (Cali and Matt, Corey and Ali, Dawson and Michelle, Alyssa and Kristie, and Josh Wagner and Tracey Brooks, who had become closer in the aftermath of Clint Marshall's death). Dani took the opportunity to engage her partner's nephew, thanking him for his words of encouragement and praise after she told off her mom and aunt last week. He was practically giddy in her presence and was surprised when she thanked him for the dance and kissed him on the cheek.

A few more quick-paced songs closed out the first segment of the dance, with Marc heading to the floor for a couple of minutes while Matt ran the controls during intermission.

Marc (to Ben, Dawson, Matt B., and Steph): During this second segment, we're going to do the "Say Anything" gag with Matty Boy breaking out the boombox. After that, I'd like you guys to try that partner trade-off thing that Ben was planning to start. I'll send Matt down to grab whoever is alone.

Ben: So it's me and Dani, Dawson takes Megan, Michelle grabs Cali's Matt, leaving her with your Matt, right?

Marc: Unless Steph wants him and Erin and Cali sit it out or team up themselves for fun. I'll put a more fun slow song in there to encourage people to mix it up some.

As Marc was on his way back up to his 21st Century turntable (a Spotify list on his laptop), Julie Koerner and her roommate Lindsay were talking about the funny boy from downstairs in their dorm.

Lindsay: The guy up there with Deacon Schmidt, that's the one I was telling you about from 2nd floor who is a mix of Jimmy Fallon and Adam Sandler.

Julie K.: Matt, the chaplain's nephew?

Lindsay: Didn't know his name and definitely wasn't aware of him being related to anyone at Trinity.

Julie K.: He made a to-do about it when we visited the chapel during Orientation. The good deacon showed him up a bit in response. He's....interesting. Something rubs me a bit wrong with him, like he'd be someone to chase after me because of Max instead of any particular interest in me as a person.

Lindsay: Thanks for the warning.

The second hour of the dance led off with "What I Like About You" by the Romantics, "U Can't Touch This" by MC Hammer, and "Smooth Criminal" by Michael Jackson. After the third song, Matt left the podium for the next two songs ("The Longest Time" by Billy Joel and "I Love Rock And Roll" from Joan Jett and the Blackhearts) to prepare for his turn as the lovesick Lloyd Dobler.

Marc: One of the seminal movies for those of us who came of age in the 80s was "Say Anything". Now, I wasn't able to get John Cusack to fly in and reprise his role in the movie for our pleasure, but I think I found a suitable replacement.

Matt came out from behind the stage in a trench coat with the stereotypical too-big-for-himself boombox being held over his head. Marc queued up the song ("In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel) and descended the stage, taking Dani's hand and recreating their moment from Becca and EJ's wedding. Erin and Steph, Abby and Katelyn, Jane and Andi, Savannah and Emma, and Hayley and Sam Keller were some of the couples who fell into one another during Peter Gabriel's ode to non-verbal communication. At the conclusion of the songs, the committed-and-out couples exchanged kisses while Marc and Dani embraced and Katelyn pecked Abby on the nose.

Back at the podium, Marc chose to bring the comedic relief and good times to the proceedings with "Secret Lovers" by Atlantic Starr. On cue, his inner circle swapped partners and he literally shoved Matt off the stage to involve Cali in this event. Lauren and Kelley along with Christen and Julie and Sofia and Vanessa chose to hit the floor for this song, enjoying the roommate-turned-mates vibe coming from the tune.

As the night went on, several potential couples were on display. Billy and Danny got together on the floor when Berlin's "Take My Breath Away" played. Brad Gustafson, Marc's peer minister in charge of administration, asked Gretchen for a spin while a pair of Alyssa's hockey teammates, Christine Singer and Melissa Tancill, displayed their togetherness during "Can't Fight This Feeling" by REO Speedwagon.

Marc: To wrap up the evening, we will do one last slow song and the closing song for every one of my undergraduate parties at Drake University. First up is "Will You Still Love Me" by Chicago, which will be followed by "It's The End Of The World As We Know It" by R.E.M.

At the end of the last song, Marc brought out some Stuart Scott for those in attendance. "You don't have to go home, but you gotta get the heck up outta here!"

**********

* Katelyn walked Abby back to her room in Katharine. After a couple of minutes of awkward silence, the taller woman leaned down and kissed her date on the lips, at first surprising her before she reciprocated it with equal tenderness and passion.

* Billy and Danny went upstairs for a few minutes and talked in the lobby about going out after they both returned from Fall break. Danny got slightly flustered, but placed a peck on Billy's cheek before going up to her and Steph's room.

* Despite not planning to stay the whole night, Steph McNamara was encouraged to do so by Tori, who took advantage of the sparks evident between them to ask the junior lacrosse player to work out with her on Tuesday morning.

* Before departing Tietjen for their separate dorms, Gretchen asked Brad out for Thursday night of Fall break.

**********

When Cameron and Lexi arrived at her and Jordan's room in Augsburg, she asked him inside for a few minutes, during which they talked a bit about their common interest in telling stories that don't get much attention. As Cam walked to the door, Lexi reached for his hand and squeezed it, then asked him if he had plans for Sweetest Day.

Cameron: Nothing right now. You asking me out?

Lexi: Yes, I am. I have a game at MSOE that afternoon. Maybe you can come to that and we can go out for an early dinner nearby. A new Italian restaurant opened recently on Water and Juneau, which is three blocks from the entrance to MSOE's soccer/lacrosse field, so I'm thinking maybe that would be a good choice. Will you still be on campus for our game on Wednesday against Aurora?

Cameron: Not sure. Have to talk to the other two Abrams and get their schedules. And to answer your question, I can't think of anything better than having dinner with you on Sweetest Day.

Lexi looked down for a second, wondering how she'd react if Cameron attempted to end the evening with some display of affection. She returned her gaze to him, then accepted a hug from him while resting her cheek against his.

**********

The residents of Augsburg 332 and 334 made some alternate sleeping arrangements for the evening. Alyssa was invited by Kristie and Sam to share their bed, which allowed Erin and Steph to have some privacy in her room. Cali asked Matt to spend the night with her, which he accepted yet was chivalrous in not watching his girlfriend change for bed. Once decent and ready for slumber, the pair climbed into her bed and curled up with one another, drifting off to the Land of Nod in a loving embrace, with her head underneath his chin.


	42. Well, Well, Well

A short night of sleep for Dani, the result of acting out one of her long-time fantasies with her middle-aged boyfriend, was rudely interrupted by a text from Sara Manning.

CoachManning: Bad night. Not keeping anything down. Won't be able to coach. Your show.

She read it over a couple of times before the gears in her mind started turning, leaving her excited, nervous, and somewhat pissed-off. She pressed up against Marc and tried to rouse him.

Dani (to Marc): Darling, we need to get a move-on. Sara must have been part of the Homecoming Good Times Committee last night and texted me to say she won't be at today's game. So that means I need to be on campus by 10 for training table.

Marc groused a bit, as he knew Dani was correct about the cause of Sara's "illness". He rolled over and looked at his ravenous partner and asked her how much time they had before things needed to start happening.

Dani: It's 7:30 now. We need to be out of here by 9:30. Factoring everything else in, I'd say we should get started with the day around 8. Why, or should I even ask?!

Marc: Last night was more than enough of that for the next couple of days. I just wanted to be able to lie with you and talk and take our time sort of in getting going. Got a few questions on my mind based on last night and want to find out if I'm overthinking things or not. So you really had a fantasy from high school where you wanted to f*** your prom date while in your dress?

Dani: Yes, and as you know I never got a chance to do it before last night. By the way, you were FANTASTIC!

Marc: When you dragged my hand over to your uncovered puss the minute we got into the car, and I could feel how turned-on you were....I wish I could have taken you right there and then, but yeah, having sex in a car on campus like two teenagers wouldn't have been a good idea. Next, what is your fascination with going commando and teasing me with it like you do?

Dani blushed. "I like the feeling of being free down there, the breeze blowing up my skirt or dress and tickling my butt or vaj. It makes me horny, which as you notice benefits you in the long run. Plus, it makes it so much easier to attack you and get down to it. One less thing to worry about removing, or no need to remove anything and just have at it."

Marc: Not sure you know, but I have a bit of a fetish when it comes to that. As much as people consider complete skin-on-skin contact the gold standard for lovemaking, I like the visual dimension of arousal and foreplay, and the slightly "naughty" idea of being able to have you whenever and wherever I want.

Dani: Well, I'm glad, because I love you loving me like you do. Any other questions for me this morning?

Marc: Just one. I'm not sure it's intentional or just coincidence, but every time we've had a major public outing involving my chaplaincy, you've toned down the heat a tad. The holiday party, Becca and EJ's wedding, last night, Dancing With The Bishops.....

Dani sat in silence for a bit while trying to come up with a response that wouldn't be misinterpreted. After finding what she thought was the right balance for her answer, she opened up to Marc.

Dani: I would be lying if I said that I didn't think about you when I would make those outfit choices. After Danielle died, and I came to know that you and I would probably end up together, I asked around to people in certain positions to gain a better understanding of what I'd be facing when or if we became a couple. Megan filled me in from the younger partner side and your sister gave me some tips about your public side and how to "act" so no unintentional less-than-graceful moments occurred. I also did some research on pastors in your conference and their spouses, to get an idea of the kind of blowback you warned might come once we made our relationship official.

Marc: I hope I've never given off the impression that you needed to mute who you are to protect my image.

Dani: No, you haven't. I want to be "the good spouse" and not add fuel for your critics. I love you, Marc, and this is one of the forms it takes.

Marc: I guess I've never had to worry about that before, since Danielle was older and her style was more REI than Saks. If I don't say it often enough, thank you for all the ways you show your love for me without my being aware of it.

The pair looked at each other and exchanged a good-morning kiss before getting up and starting the day. On the drive up to campus, Dani got a message from Cali, telling her about what happened last night after the dance ended, and one from Angela informing her that she, Brent, the kids, their parents, and Aunt Judy and Uncle Steve would be coming to the game. Marc attempted to keep her calm as she began running through lineup options for the match and got the two of them to Trinity by 9:45.

**********

During training table, Dani informed the players of Sara's absence. She also saw that neither Carli nor Allie were yet in attendance. Figuring they'd be a lost cause today after last night's shenanigans, Dani didn't let their being missing worry her and announced the starting lineup for today's match against Eureka College.

Teagan; Taylor-Erica-Amber-Cassie; Kim-Maria-Raquel; Cali-Jordan-Lexi.

Dani: Eureka will be the classic non-conference Homecoming opponent for us. They lost at Mount Mary yesterday, 4-0, and we should have NO problem handling them. That said, don't try to rub their nose in it, because the shoe can always be on the other foot and two of our next three games are against teams that can deliver a sound beating to us if they so wish. Amber, you will be getting a field promotion today and captaining with Erica. I hope everyone is rested from last night's fun and ready to show our fans just how good we can be offensively.

Dani received a bit of applause from the team following her remarks, which made her smile. The conversations around the table were lively, with a couple of confessions from last night coming out.

Taylor: Lexi, what's up with you and the camera guy? I saw you together at the dance, and you seemed to be having a good time. Call me crazy, but I think you're shooting a bit low with him.

Lexi: He makes me feel like I don't HAVE to impress him with my goal scoring or my beauty. After we returned to my room, I asked him in and we had a good talk about our perspectives on media and what they choose to cover or not cover. I don't know, I just like the fact that he doesn't try to sweet-talk me with an aim to put a check mark next to my name as a conquest.

Jordan: Girl has been bitten by the love bug.

Lexi: Not exactly. I still am unsure of whether I'm ready to be committed to someone, but I did ask him out for dinner following our game at MSOE in two weeks. Get away from the campus bubble and see what it's like when you're not surrounded by others.

Amber: Someone needs to follow Coach, Carli, and Allie one night and get evidence of their activities so we can possibly get rid of them. We play better when we're not dealing with the pair of them clogging up the midfield or leaving me, Erica, and Cassie to fend for ourselves.

Erica: I'm excited to see what we can do playing with a NORMAL starting lineup. Granted, it's still not as balanced as a 4-4-2, but given the opponent we can probably get away with it.

As brunch wrapped up, players began departing Siebert for Buuck for the next stage of pregame preparation.

**********

During warm-ups, Tori had Marc provide a bit of commentary on the Thunder's season-to-date and today's opponent for the on-demand broadcast of the match at TrinityThunder dot com.

Tori: The women's soccer team is currently 7-5-1 and 4-3 in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference, surpassing their win total from last season, when they finished 4-14 overall and 3-8 in the conference. Any insight on how they've improved over the past year?

Marc: The team is a year older as a whole. Outside of the three seniors on last season's team, they had 14 first-year players and three sophomores. This year, with 14 of the 17 underclassmen returning and a solid group of six incoming players, they have taken care of business against the teams they should, like Lakeland, Wisconsin Lutheran, and Illinois Tech, and given the next level of teams in the league a stern challenge. The Thunder are still in contention for a conference tournament berth, but the schedule does them few favors between now and the end, with Aurora, Edgewood, and MSOE between now and October 19th. They have to win one of those three to probably make it to the post-season, and I'm not sure it will happen.

Tori: Today's opponent, the Eureka Red Devils, comes into the match winless on the season. What can we expect to see?

Marc: Eureka is one of those schools that, no matter how hard they try to improve, just cannot get the athletes or keep them long enough to build a competitive team. Expect Trinity to be on offense for most of the match and I wouldn't be shocked if the Thunder hang a double-digit loss on the Red Devils.

Tori: Noticeably absent from the sidelines today is head coach Sara Manning. Anything serious that you're aware of, Deacon?

Marc: Not that I know.

Once the audio was turned off, Tori told Marc that she had talked with Lexi on Monday night and learned about the "alumni relations" scheme going on. With her now in the know, Marc divulged that she claimed to be ill with the stomach flu, but he and Dani had a different theory as to her non-appearance. Marc went up into the stands and sat down with his fellow fanboys, Matt Benning and Cameron. A few minutes before kickoff, Angela came over and warned Marc about the elders being in attendance and suggested steering clear of them until after the game, when she might have an idea of how to confront the situation. During their conversation, Mike and Pam Millen sat down in front of the three men. Marc greeted them after he was free and filled them in on the starting lineup changes and Sara's absence. Once the match started, the chaplain caught up with the other two.

Marc: How did the two of you do last night? From my point of view, it looked like things went very well.

Matt: Other than Cali being a little miffed that her cousin's housemate stole me for a dance, the night was a smash. I think we made a little relationship headway without drifting TOO far off the narrow path, if you understand what I mean.

Marc: I getcha. Remember, I have eyes and ears and some insiders that tell me things.

Matt: Right. Benefit of you dating Danielle.

Cameron: I couldn't have scripted last night better. We went back to her room after the dance and talked for a while. When I left, she asked me out for Sweetest Day dinner, following the game at MSOE.

Mike Millen: So you're dating someone on the team, Cameron?

Cameron froze, then tried to give an answer. "Maybe. We went to the Homecoming dance last night together, which led to the offer for the 19th."

Mike: I wish my daughter would look for someone like you instead of the rough-and-tough hoods from down our way. At least her and Sergio are done, thank God.

Marc jumped in to get the freshman off the hook. "Speaking of Sweetest Day, maybe I should get the family and their extensions together for a night out. Matt, you and Cali would be invited. Let me talk to Dr. Oliphant and see if he'd be game. Besides, you and Cali SHOULD start hanging out with us."

Matt: I'll tell her about the idea after the game.

Trinity jumped Eureka from the opening whistle, as Jordan picked up a pair of goals in the first 12 minutes, followed by a pair from Lexi and one from Maria off a Cali corner kick. In the 37th minute, Lexi finished off her hat trick and pushed the lead to 6-0. Cali's re-direction of Kim's knuckleball through the box completed the first half scoring for the Thunder. With the game firmly in hand, Dani pulled Cali and Lexi along with her starting back line for the second half. A less-active second 45 minutes resulted in four additional goals for the home team, including the completion of a hat trick by Jordan, and made the final score TLU 11 Eureka 0.

**********

Tori and Charlie Borchardt, her cameraman from Thunder Media, went onto the field after the match to do interviews with Lexi, Jordan, Dani, and Teagan, who picked up her second career shutout. She also was able to get a few words from Cali on her five-point day (one goal, three assists) and Maria on her first multi-goal game at Trinity.

Outside the south gates, friends and loved ones of the team were gathered awaiting the players' arrival. Cali and Lexi came out together and went directly to their persons of interest. Matt wrapped his arm around Cali and congratulated her, then let her move on to her parents, aunt, uncle, and cousins. Lexi accepted Cam's embrace, then left a small peck on his lips before she walked over to Mike and Pam. Matt and Marc gave him a slight bit of grief while also patting him on the back. Lexi's dad gave her a big hug, followed by one from her mom, then asked her about what they had just seen.

Mike: Cameron said he went to last night's dance with a member of the soccer team and that they might start dating. I told him that I wished you would look for someone like him, not knowing you had already done so. I like him, even though he's probably in over his head with you.

Lexi: I wouldn't say that, based on the growth I've seen in him since he first laid eyes on me at the All-Sports Mixer. Now, when we go out in a couple of weeks, I'll find out just how far each of us has come since then as we won't have our wing people to prop us up.

The Thunder sharpshooter left her parents and crossed the road that separated Niemoller and Buuck. In the interim, Jamie had caught up with Marc, Dani, Jordan, and Amber, asking them about Sara's absence. The chaplain and coach were fairly direct with their opinion, with the two players supporting their thoughts based on what they knew about the ring. Jamie told Marc she would stop by his office tomorrow morning to further discuss the matter. After the other three had left, Marc and Dani talked briefly about the game. Before long, Angela, Courtney, and Dylan came up, with the two kids latching onto their aunt's legs.

Angela: If you can't tell, the two women are boring holes into you, especially Aunt Judy. Something needs to be done to diffuse this situation. Can we possibly do lunch sometime this week? I'll invite Dad and maybe the ice can be broken, since him and Uncle Steve seem more open to the possibility of the two of you together, or at least don't have such a negative opinion of it yet.

Dani: I'm off Thursday and Friday due to Fall break. Either one work for you?

Angela: I can do either day. Do you want Marc there or not?

Dani: Maybe not at the start, since that would be a dead giveaway and could cause a scene if it turns out he's not in favor of the idea.

Marc: I wouldn't be able to make either day until 1 or so, since I'm meeting with my legal and business team about the trial on Thursday and the Board of Trustees meets on Friday, which will include the return of Gavin for money from the Trinity Foundation and hopefully a vision of where he wants to take athletics.

Angela: I'll take care of everything, then let the two of you know. Congrats on your first college win, Deuce.

Angela gave Dani a big hug, then the two of them and the kids walked over to the rest of their family while Marc wandered to where Erin, Steph, Emma, and Savannah were standing. Asking if they had dinner plans, to which the answer was no, he told them to go rescue his sidekick from his dorm room and meet him back down at the front of Augsburg at 4:30 to leave for the Charcoal Grill in Grafton. While waiting, he dropped a text to his beloved telling her what he didn't get to say face-to-face.

DeaconMarc: I am extremely proud of you. You looked comfortable in charge, like you've been doing this for years. Savor the win, then get back at it tomorrow in preparation for Aurora. Love you, now and always.

Once she was in the confines of her car, Dani read the message and responded.

DaniPDillon: Wouldn't have been that steady if not for the module and your support. Thank you for always having my back, cherishing my heart, and making my dreams come true. MUAH.


	43. Raising Questions

Jamie was in her office early on Monday morning, wanting to question some of the athletic department's junior staff about their knowledge of wrong-doing in the department, particularly the not-so-subtle claims of illegal activity involving members of the women's soccer team. Kara disclosed some contents from her meeting with Casey and Marc in September while Sports Information Director Elly Dismore referenced the press release she was forced by Gavin to send out regarding Lauren Heberlein's departure from Trinity at the end of March. With a few details to work from, Jamie walked over to Luther to engage Marc in a more extensive conversation about what he knew.

Jamie: I talked to Kara and Elly before coming over and got some of what they knew had been going on over the past several months. The way you and Danielle were talking, you seem to believe that there are some serious problems with Gavin's management of the athletic department and that Sara's shepherding something akin to a brothel. Any hard evidence to support that?

Marc pulled out the 6" file he had on the possible prostitution ring and handed it over to Jamie, being careful to not spill any of its contents.

Jamie: Ummmm.....all of this deals with the "alumni relations" program?

Marc: Yes. As to why none of this has been turned over to Albert Moncrief or Don Garrett, almost all the claims in here would be considered hearsay, with no corroboration or hard evidence to back them up. I've been waiting for a smoking gun, something that would stand up to scrutiny, so I can ask Don to open an investigation and eventually bring their corruption to an end. It's getting closer to happening, because enough circumstantial evidence has been amassed and some of the possible whistleblowers are being a bit more forthright about what has occurred. Nothing yet that would allow for a sting to be set up through local law enforcement, though.

Jamie: Is there a way to make the request to the Board of Trustees when they meet on Friday?

Marc: I think so, since Alex Bailey has already introduced some of the financial data concerning this, like the figures surrounding Lauren's severance package. If only we could get that document unsealed. Kara's the only one besides Gavin or Don that is listed as having the ability to access the unredacted version of it.

Jamie: Would Don be willing to break the seal and present it on Friday, thereby giving you a foundation to ask for the investigation?

Marc: That question is above my pay grade, primarily because I don't know the legal consequences that could befall the university should it be unsealed. IF David can pull the board into executive session to allow for its disclosure and my request, it's possible a lawsuit can be averted, especially if there is proof of criminal activity stemming from some of its contents. You might want to drop a note to University Counsel asking about the risk involved in lifting the seal on the non-disclosure agreement.

Jamie: I can do that when I get back to my office.

Marc: I'll presume your team will make the conference tournament based on how they're standing right now. What would your match schedule be for that seven-to-ten days?

Jamie: If we're seeded 1 or 2, we play at home on Wednesday the 30th. If we're 3 or 4, we're home on the 26th against either the 5 or 6 seed. Why?

Marc: The synod's Reformation Day dinner is the 26th and I was wondering if you'd be able to attend.

Jamie: When does it start?

Marc: Cocktail hour is 5:30-6:30pm, with dinner and program to follow.

Jamie: If we're home or off, there should be no problem. Road match could make it very tight depending on how long it goes and where we're playing.

Marc: I'm going to the synod office tomorrow for my monthly meeting with Paul and Matt, and our representation at the event will be discussed. As associate chaplain, you're automatically on the guest list and are allowed to bring a +1. I'll give you more details tomorrow afternoon or Wednesday morning.

Jamie: I'm glad you're around here, Marc. Before Gavin came in with his two hand-selected coaches, there was nothing CLOSE to a scandal involving the athletic department. You were a lifesaver when it came to dealing with Lauren's actions last year and it looks like you'll be one again when everything comes out.

Marc: I've said it before, and I still believe it. Paul knew what he was doing when he asked me to take up the chaplain's post and fought for my hiring.

Jamie: I best be getting back to the athletic center. I'll try to attend Friday's meeting and I have the one for PMA on my calendar for next Monday.

Marc: Take care.

Jamie left Marc's office, leaving him a couple of hours to work on his monthly report for Paul and a sketched-out agenda for today's Super Six.

**********

With a short school week due to Fall break and all 14 members of the Peer Ministry Alliance meeting next Monday, Alyssa had very little to go over with the rest of the Super Six, yielding the floor for Marc to make any announcements he had for them.

Marc: I will be meeting with Bishop Emerson and Rev. Matt Sherman tomorrow and there are a couple of things on the agenda concerning you. Where are we with developing our portion of the proposal to host the 2021 LSM National Gathering? The deadline for submission is November 1st and we will need to add in the portions from UWM, Marquette, and Rev. Sherman before then.

Erin: Cali and I were hoping that we could schedule a time with you and Brad to work out what we should include in the proposal, such as the facilities information that the synod already has on-hand and the standard layout of the event based on its previous incarnation.

Marc: The only opening I have the rest of this week is Wednesday morning. Otherwise, next Tuesday before the women's soccer match is available.

Erin: Preference for me would be Wednesday so I can finish our portion of it over break.

Brad: That would be my choice as well.

Marc: I know you have a 10:00 class, Erin, so it would have to be before that. 8:30 too early?

Erin: Bring food and coffee in case I don't have a chance to get to breakfast before then.

Brad: I'm a morning person, so that will be no problem for me, Deacon Marc.

Marc: That's settled for now, and I will ask Matt for the information you need tomorrow. The next big event for us is the Reformation Day dinner on the 26th at the Hyatt Regency downtown. I don't know yet how many seats I'll be asked to fill, but I wanted to find out if any of you had interest in attending.

Corey: I'm going to be with my parents in Green Bay that weekend for the Packers/Buccaneers game. Sorry.

Alyssa: It's on my calendar and I've already cleared with my coach about not making the road trip to St. Thomas that weekend.

Julie: I'd love to go again.

Erin: I presume you're expecting Steph and I to say yes. Of course we want to go.

Brad: I'll say maybe right now.

Marc: I'd like it if you would, Brad. Let me know when you have a definite answer. I guess that takes care of what I had for today. If I don't see you before you leave for break, have fun and RELAX for the few days you're away from here. Remember, next Monday is an all-PMA meeting and Sunday is the Suicide Prevention walk at Humboldt Park if you're planning to participate.

On the way out of Siebert, Erin told Marc that she and Steph were planning to stay in town for break and wondered if they could hide out at his place for the four-day weekend, which he was more than happy to allow.

**********

Over dinner in Luther's Landing, Karina, Liz Edwards, Beverly Gordon, and Diana Thorne discussed tomorrow's SGA vote on the student fees increase legislation authored by Adrian Pembroke on behalf of Gavin Winchester.

Diana: What do the three of you think about Adrian's bill?

Beverly: I don't know that it should pass, since a good portion of it is vague with regard to sunset provisions or mandates concerning how those fees will be allocated by the athletic department.

Liz: Tomorrow's vote won't be the final say on the bill, most likely. Any proposal which seeks to increase student fees must clear a series of hurdles meant to "cool down the legislation" and allow for the widest possible involvement in its construction. For a increase in student fees to be approved it must:

1) Pass the SGA by a 3/5 super-majority. In our case, that means 31 votes in favor. Remember also that abstentions count the same as No votes when it comes to meeting the 3/5 standard.

2) Be passed a second time by a 3/5 super-majority six weeks following first passage, with a meeting of the Committee of the Whole occurring during one of the two SGA meetings that fall between those dates.

3) The two votes must occur in the same semester.

Karina: So tomorrow's vote really doesn't count?

Liz: It counts so far as it sets the date for the second vote. If the bill doesn't meet the 3/5 standard tomorrow, the subject can't be brought back before SGA until Spring semester.

Beverly: Liz and I went through a VERY tough fight last year when some of the male athletes attempted to sabotage the Code of Student Conduct with a poison pill amendment allowing for multiple male/female sexual relationships. We were able to force them to withdraw their amendment and then crafted something that could be supported by a significant majority.

Diana: So should we vote in favor of the proposal tomorrow even if we're not in agreement with its provisions or the idea of sticking the students for an additional $700 a year by the end of the increases?

Liz: Unless you are completely against the use of student fees to pay for athletic department upgrades, vote yes so it gets to the next stage, where we can make changes outside the normal amendment process.

Beverly: Karina, have you heard anything as to what the Board of Trustees' plans are for the athletic director's appearance on Friday?

Karina: I had planned to stop by Luther and pick a few brains between lunch and practice, but got distracted by a couple of my freshman teammates. I'll drop the chaplain a note and find out what he knows, since he's been one of the biggest critics of Gavin's plans and his proposed means of accomplishing them.

Liz: How is everyone leaning right now?

Beverly: I'm against what we have in front of us, but not the idea of upgrading Niemoller and Buuck provided the students have some control over the money. I'll vote yes and then seek to include that notion when it goes to the Committee of the Whole.

Karina: I'm a yes, because I feel the boost women's sports should receive from the first phase of improvements is worth our support.

Diana: I'm with Bev. Not happy about the one-sided nature of the current bill, but will have faith in the process and seek to bring some balance to it at the next stage.

Liz: I want this to end up in the Committee of the Whole, but won't vote for it to get there. My plan is to not vote when first called upon, then make a motion for reconsideration if the bill fails.

Satisfied that the four of them had a better idea of what would happen tomorrow and their small faction's positions, the meeting broke up and the four representatives went back to their rooms.


	44. Burying The Lede

Marc's monthly meeting with Bishop Paul Emerson and Rev. Matt Sherman started with a quick run-through of his activities at Trinity over the past handful of weeks, highlighting his continued resistance against Gavin's expansion plans, the opening of the Urban Coaching Institute, and Saturday's Homecoming dance. Following that, he asked Matt for copies of his planning information from Churchwide Assembly so his students could use it as a starting point to develop their proposal to host the LSM National Gathering next winter. He said that he'd email them to Marc's Trinity account by the end of the day.

Paul: Do you have a list of persons you want at your table for the Reformation Day dinner on the 26th?

Marc: I've thought through possibilities and polled the Super Six yesterday as to their interest, but I didn't want to say yes to any of them until I found out from you how many seats I'd have.

Paul: Table of eight, but you'll have seven seats to fill instead of four since Lynn and I will be at our own table and Danielle is no longer with us.

Marc: Any chance you could tap our account for a second set of eight that can be spread out among the other attendees?

Matt: Don't see that being much of a problem.

Marc: Thanks. I've got the four from last year plus some new peer ministers I want to bring. Then there's a family I'd like to have at my table whose daughter is a future rostered leader, be it by getting the Practical Ministry certificate from Trinity or going onto seminary afterwards.

Matt: Get me the list of your people as soon as possible, and designate the eight for your table and the eight to spread out.

Paul: On the 27th, I'd like you to provide the homily for our two services at Annunciation. I've already discussed it with Peter, and he's willing to let you have the stage.

Marc: Think I've got an idea for it already, and I plan to reuse it for worship at Bonhoeffer on the 30th since Trinity has been at the forefront of "reformation" in the Lutheran church.

Matt exited Paul's office to return to his work, leaving the bishop and chaplain to have a one-on-one.

Paul: Now, time to check up on you, Marc. How has this new normal been going?

Marc: It's been alright. Going home to an usually-empty house after work has been pretty blah, but I've tried to stay busy and indulge in "me time". I've also been going to a lot more sporting events at Trinity than I did last fall.

Paul: Any specific reason, or just something you feel like doing?

Marc: Having developed relationships with a number of the freshman athletes, and having a year on-campus under me, I feel like I can branch out some and show my support for teams other than Erin and Steph's.

Paul: It's been almost six months since Danielle's death. Have you begun thinking about re-entering the dating pool?

Marc: Don't go there, Paul. I do NOT need the old biddies in the pews dissecting anyone I might have interest in, just for sport. Lynn's a pastor, and I'm sure she had the rule run over her when she'd interview for pastorates, as well as you getting the questions concerning her place within your ministry when you've gone before call committees.

Paul: True, Marc. So dare I presume there IS someone possibly in your peripheral vision?

Marc: Presume all you want, but I'm not disclosing anything. With Danielle's brother-in-law contesting her trust, the LAST THING I want is for people to speculate about my private life.

Paul: You know, I have decent eyes and ears, and I saw certain things during Churchwide Assembly that lead me to believe you and Coach Dillon have something more than a friendship or mentoring relationship.

Marc remained silent for close to 20 seconds while attempting to formulate an answer to Paul's supposition. "I'm not ready for us to go public. We're trying to keep it from making the rounds at Trinity until after the term ends, which means keeping it off the synod's radar until after Christmas. I know if it got out, the ladies of yours and my parents' generations would be ALL OVER her, since she is pretty much a 180 from Danielle in a lot of ways, not the least of which is her being more than 20 years younger than me."

Paul: Are you planning to bring her to the Reformation Day dinner?

Marc: I'd like to, but I don't want her to be getting daggers stared into her because some of the other attendees jump to conclusions about what they THINK they see in front of them.

Paul: You're really being protective of her, aren't you?

Marc: Yes, Paul. We're both committed to one another for the long haul, but that could change if she feels unwelcome in my world either at Trinity or around the synod.

Paul: Bring her on the 26th. I'll do my best to make sure there is no identification of her as your +1, but rather as a member of the TLU athletic department.

Marc: Thanks, man. I'm scared witless about what might happen if word got around.

Marc rose from his chair and left Paul's office. After dropping off a couple of documents at the front desk, he exited, then drove up to campus to meet Karina and Liz for lunch ahead of the SGA meeting at 3:30.

**********

The Student Government Association completed the first step in implementing an increase in student fees to pay for facility upgrades for the athletic department, passing Adrian Pembroke's bill 37-13. Liz Edwards, as she said she would do, did not vote on the matter. Parliamentarian Brittany Bridgeman moved to set November 20th as the date for the second and final vote on the measure, which was approved without objection.

**********

After dinner, Jessie stopped by to see Erin. Steph came over a couple of minutes later after Erin banged on their connected wall to page her girlfriend.

Jessie (to Erin): Becca and I are planning to go out at some point during Fall break and I was wondering if I could borrow something from your wardrobe,

Steph: So she convinced you that dating your roommate was a good idea?

Jessie: Not so much convinced me as made me reconsider my reluctance to being in a relationship.

Erin: I'm glad you and her are together. It had been fairly obvious to us that the two of you had the right foundation to build off and hoped that she would take the step forward and tell you how she felt. As for bumming some of my clothes, that's perfectly alright. Steph and I are going away for break, but not telling anyone where besides our parents and the owner of the place we'll be for the four days.

Jessie: Sounds interesting.....

Steph: Girl told me that she has something up her sleeve for my birthday on Thursday, which is why the secrecy over our whereabouts.

There was a knock at Erin and Cali's door. Steph answered it and saw Lindsay and Julie Koerner standing there. After allowing them to come in, she introduced the two of them to Jessie and described a bit the relationship she and Erin had with her. Jessie asked Erin when she'd be free for her to stop by and pick something out from her closet. Erin told her that she was free after chapel to let her into the room, but would be leaving campus shortly after that. Jessie departed and returned to Katharine, leaving Julie and Lindsey to discuss with the two peer ministers the topic on their minds.

Lindsay: There's this guy in our hall that I've got my eye on, sort of. He seems to know you really well since I've seen him with the two of you along with Deacon Schmidt a fair bit. Julie said that he's the chaplain's nephew and is a bit of a braggart. Care to fill me in on him?

Erin and Steph looked at each other, then cracked up slightly before responding to the freshmen.

Erin: Well, his name is Matt and yes, he's Deacon Schmidt's nephew. Julie is correct about him wanting to toot his own horn or hoping to sidle up to people of influence. He's a Pre-Med major and comes from the Twin Cities area.

Lindsay: He seems to be pretty funny from what I saw at the Homecoming dance and some of the antics I've noticed in the hall.

Steph: He's a character alright. We have to put up with him because he's related to XP and we are as well, sort of, so we're probably not as unbiased as others about him. I would say that, based on what I know about the two of you, Julie would be more the type he'd chase.

Julie: Didn't I tell you, roomie?

Lindsay: Yes, you did.

Erin: Pops as well as the two of us have been trying to get it through his head that he shouldn't be in hot pursuit of someone based on who they know or what they are.

Julie: Do you think I can talk to the chaplain about him and get some off-the-record advice and insight? I'm not sure about him and if he IS as much of a social climber as you two claim, I'd like to know that before he approaches me.

Steph: I'm sure Marc will open up his notebook on the boy for you. Does he know about you and Max?

Julie: He does. I disclosed that to him when we talked at the start of the semester, after my acerbic statement to him during chapel orientation about religious community and Matt's disclosure of his and Marc's relationship.

Steph: I remember that. Alyssa and I were with Marc for the morning sessions. I don't remember what we said in response to that.

Julie: Alyssa's answer was more or less an invitation to spend time with several of you and that you'd disprove my belief about fake friendships in the church.

Lindsay: Sounds like you're saying he probably won't look my way unless he strikes out with Julie.

Erin: I don't know what he thinks about either of you, but I can ask when we're all back here after break.

Julie: Will the chaplain be at tomorrow's soccer game? I have to wait for Lindsay to get back from hockey practice before we can leave for break and I was thinking that'd be a good time to catch him with his guard down a little.

Steph: I'd expect him to be there, but you might want to ask him at Lunch Bunch tomorrow to be sure.

Julie and Lindsay thanked Erin and Steph for their truthfulness and information about young Mr. Olson, then left the two of them to return to their room. Alyssa, Cali, and Katelyn charged in about 10 minutes later, then wished Steph an early Happy Birthday (it's on Thursday) and had her blow out the candle on her cupcake.


	45. Where All Roads Lead

At Erin's request, Marc stopped by Colectivo and Pick N Save on his way to campus to get donuts and coffee for the spitfire cherub, Brad, and Cali. The three students were waiting for him outside his office when he arrived, taking the food and drink from him while he opened the door. After helping themselves to sustenance, the four sat down and began work on a draft proposal for hosting the 2021 Lutheran Student Movement-USA National Gathering. Marc handed copies of Matt Sherman's planning documents from the 2019 ELCA Churchwide Assembly to the other three, along with a bare-bones schedule spanning December 30,2020 – January 3, 2021.

Marc: I'm going to leave it to the three of you to talk out what you want to put in and to ask me for help if you need it.

Brad: I'm going to ask this right away. For how much of the proposal do we need to be the dominant voice?

Marc: Remember I said that a lot of the nuts-and-bolts would be filled in by the LSM National Council and the ELCA as a whole. We still need to give them something solid from which to work and to show our commitment to hosting the event. I think the only place where you can rely on one of the other three voices to reign is on the location or locations as Rev. Sherman has a MUCH better grasp of which hotels and/or convention spaces can be procured to meet the Gathering's needs and at a price point that will allow for the lowest-possible charge for attendees. You need to put something about that into the part we're writing, but it can be general and just reference possible options in the downtown area.

Erin: Are the dates firm?

Marc: I'd say yes because of the need to have one or two days ahead of the actual start for the governmental bodies to meet, which is standard for any convention. That's why National Gathering has never started before December 28th. Also, almost every airline requires a Saturday night stay in order to get the best rate on flights, thus the dates move around a little bit. The only possible shift would be going December 31st through January 4th.

Erin asked Cali and Brad if they wanted to consider both 12/30-1/3 and 12/31-1/4 or would they rather pick one and build out from that.

Cali: I think we should build out the schedule first and then see which of the two sets of dates will work best.

Brad: Good idea. Marc, what typically goes on at National Gathering?

Marc: The basics are: two plenary sessions, which are meetings of the entire student assembly to pass legislation and elect leaders for the upcoming year; a number of worship services; a service project;workshops; and the closing night banquet and dance. When any of these happen depends a bit on the dates, both date on the calendar and day of the week. Given the dates being played with, if we go 12/30-1/3,the service project would be scheduled for the 31st. If it's 12/31-1/4, it would be the 2nd. Since the 31st will happen during the early portion of the Gathering and not as the final night, we will need to consider scheduling a smaller-type celebration to ring in the new year.

Erin: And we need to have something to fill in for those areas, even if they will be replaced by the National Council and others as we move closer to the dates?

Marc: Yes.

Cali: I like the Hyatt Regency as the main hotel. Close to Fiserv Forum and the new entertainment district surrounding it, and a short walk to Old World 3rd Street and Water Street. It's also a better option than the Hilton if we end up having events in the Wisconsin Center. Any objections?

Brad: If the Hotel Intercontinental has enough space to house everything, I think I'd rather we go that route since it would be slightly withdrawn from the hustle-and-bustle of the area surrounding the Hyatt, but still close to Water Street, the Marcus Center, and a short walk to Cathedral Square and Eastown.

Erin: I'm out of this part of the debate since I'm not a local. Marc, recommendation?

Marc: Either one is a good option. Again, Rev. Sherman will be handling that part of our proposal, but for the draft put both in as examples of how Gathering can be structured.

Erin: What is everyone's feeling about starting and ending date?

Cali: I'd like to see us start on the 31st instead of the 30th, thus making the final day Monday the 4th.

Brad: I'm game for going with the 31st to the 4th, as it would allow for a more leisurely feel to the proceedings rather than the rushed feeling I can see coming from starting the 30th and closing on a Sunday.

Erin: In my case, going the 31st through the 4th would give me an extra day at home before traveling back here, since I won't be returning to Rockford afterwards with Spring semester starting the next Monday.

Marc: I think there's a consensus to steer clear of a Sunday closing. So you'll be proposing December 31st through January 4th, then? The only problem I see with that is crossing paths with all the New Year's Eve celebrants in the hotel and being able to secure the spaces that night you might want.

Erin: That's Matt's problem, not necessarily ours. Now, to plug in the pieces and fill out the puzzle.

The three students and Marc collaborated on designing a fun and relaxing convention, with a TBA event following opening dinner and worship on the 31st, the service project on the morning of the 2nd, plenaries held following worship on the 1st and 3rd, and workshops those afternoons. Erin told the others that she would write up everything over break and bring the draft to the PMA meeting on Monday. Marc asked Erin and Cali to hang back for a couple of minutes, then inquired about break and the possibility of throwing Steph a small birthday party on Thursday evening at his place. Erin said she was fine with it, but it should be kept off-the-radar since most people didn't know they'd be staying locally for the four-day weekend.

**********

In the gap between the end of their 10:00 classes and worship at Noon, several of the peer ministers packed and loaded their cars for a quick departure later in the day. After Erin loaded her and Steph's luggage into her car outside Katharine, she drove along the backside of campus and parked in the lot next to Luther, which would make fora quick getaway after chapel. As she walked over to Bonhoeffer, she saw Shelley sitting on a bench in the Chapel Courtyard. Erin waved at her as she passed by, but no response was forthcoming. Seeing that Erin was planning to head home for break and no sign of Steph with her (she was already in the chapel as her and Vanessa were Marc's worship assistants today), she came to the conclusion that the long-time target of her lust would be staying at Trinity and not in the presence of the bane of Shelley's existence. Armed with that belief, she went to her car and left campus for home, planning to put together a seductive package meant to make Steph weak in the knees and possibly entice a fall from grace.

**********

Jessie stopped by Bonhoeffer after worship to meet up with Erin and Cali for access to their room. Erin gave Jessie her room key and told her to get it to Cali or Marc before she and Becca left campus. Cali walked over to Siebert while Erin went to pick up her car so she could meet Steph at the roundabout outside Luther and Rincker once she was finished with clean-up from Communion.

Lexi, Emma, and Julie Koerner joined the crowd of usuals who gathered after worship for Lunch Bunch (Marc, Dani, Dr. Sinclair, Alyssa, Katelyn, Cali, Corey, Abby, and Julie Jacobsen). The discussion today centered around Fall break being a beginning, an end, and a transition period at the same time.

Emma: I've survived the first half of my first semester. Is the second half easier, harder, or just different?

Alyssa: It's a little harder, but also pretty different than what happens the first seven weeks of the term. You'll be registering for Spring classes, trying to stay on top of your academics while also dealing with the effects of shorter days, longer nights, colder weather, and more intense family pressures on your time. Fall break gives you a chance to take a breath, evaluate where you are, and then determine how you want to get through the second half of the semester so you're not fried by the time finals arrive.

Marc: Have all of you gotten at least SOME feedback on how you're doing so you can make decisions about dropping classes before the drop-by date?

Katelyn: All of my classes have had exams already, and three of them have had at least one major assignment due.

Julie J.: With communication not having as much rote memorization as practice and technique, we work more on a portfolio basis with continued development of the pieces over the course of the semester.

Corey: Between labs and exams, most of my courses give regular grade reports.

Marc: That's good to hear. Nothing is worse than not having that information and being stuck with a low grade that could have been avoided. In undergrad, an economics professor gave our class an exam a week or so before Fall break, but held off on returning them until after break, not allowing me to drop the class after I bombed it. A friend of mine had him for another class and pretty much blanked her final because he was so evasive about what would be on the exams.

Lexi: Thank God I didn't have one of those type of classes last semester. Not that I did well with the ones I DID have.

Abby: Nothing like that while here, but when I was in high school, all I would get is progress grades based on the teachers' perception of where I was with the IB curriculum for their subject.

Marc: Never understood IB, even though my nephew Matt took it while at Blaine.

Abby: If done right, it is supposed to get you advanced standing in college like Advanced Placement exams would if you went to a school with those courses.

Marc: Or mine, where you had AP and the ability to take classes at UWM if it wasn't offered at Riverside.

Abby bit her tongue so as not to disparage the chaplain's alma mater."Almost went there, but I needed to get out of the neighborhood after doing K-8 at Hartford."

Marc: You're a local, then. Let me guess......Reagan, because you seem too smart to fall for the trap of attending Dufus King.

Julie Jacobsen cracked up because she knew that Abby was up against it. Katelyn looked at her bae and felt compassion for her, but was aware she'd have to wiggle out of this little jam on her own.

Dani: Marc! That's mean! Abby, I apologize for the good chaplain. Sometimes, he doesn't know when to turn off the competitive fire.

Marc (to Dani): You don't even want to know what the nickname for your school was around our circle.

Dani: Nickelbag, right?

Marc: Yep.

Abby: I went to RUFUS King.

Marc: Sorry you made such a bad decision. Two words: Forty-eight, nothing!

Abby: Erin told me you were going to trot that out. It sucks that she's already left for break or I'd have gotten a little bit of moral support to face off with you.

Cali, Dani, Lexi, Katelyn, and Alyssa left Siebert to go over to Buuck and get ready for their afternoon athletic adventures (women's soccer was home against Aurora, volleyball would be traveling to Aurora in under an hour, and women's hockey had practice at the Ozaukee Ice Center). Marc apologized to Abby for the needling, then informed her and Emma about Steph's birthday party tomorrow night. He went back to his office in Luther to take care of his email communication before the soccer game.

To: msherman @ milwaukeesynod dot org  
From: mschmidt @ trinitylutheran dot edu

Subject: Reformation Day Dinner

Matt,

Here are my lists for the Reformation Day Dinner on October 26th.

Chaplain's Table: Deacon Marc Schmidt; Danielle Dillon; Cali Farmer; Matt Benning; Katelyn, Joe, Paula, and Kendra Rollins.

Additional Seats: Erin Matheson; Stephanie Lafleur; Alyssa Norman; Karina Lester; Jamie Krueger (+1); Julie Jacobsen; Christen Prince.

Marc

**********

Jessie was in Cali and Erin's room going through both of their closets in search of something to wear for her date with Becca. She tried on several outfits from each person's wardrobe before settling on one. After putting the rest of the clothes back where they had been, she opened the door to exit and locked it behind her. She turned to walk toward the stairs and saw Shelley sitting outside Steph and Alyssa's room, wearing a short dress and killer heels.

Jessie: How did you get up here, as you're not a residential student?

Shelley: I have my ways, munchkin. What's it to you?

Jessie: Just that I'm curious as to why you're sitting outside Steph and Alyssa's room.

Shelley: I figured since goody-two-shoes Erin is away for Fall break, I'd make my best play on that chiseled piece of womanhood behind door number 332 in the hopes that she'll FINALLY come to her senses and drop her current girlfriend for someone a lot hotter and a lot better for her.

Jessie: Well, Steph left for break just after 1:00, so you're going to have a LONG wait if you're hoping to entice her. That is, if you're not found out by the residence hall staff. Toodles.

As Jessie started to leave, she saw Julie Koerner exiting her room. The pair talked a bit on their way over to Niemoller, where Jessie dropped off Erin's key with Marc and informed him of her little confrontation with Shelley. He made her aware of the rules concerning meddling and let her know that she could file a charge based on her relationship with Erin and Steph, even though she wasn't the actual target of Shelley's attempt to make mischief.

Aurora throttled the Thunder definitively over the first 45 minutes, getting out to a 5-0 lead. During what would turn out to be a scoreless second half, Marc and Julie chatted.

Marc: I'm sorry we didn't get a chance to talk during lunch today. How has the first half of the semester gone?

Julie: It's been what I was expecting. Courses are harder than high school,but I haven't run into anything over my head yet. On the social front, it's been up-and-down. My roommate has decided she likes your nephew's style and asked Erin and Steph about him. They told her that he was more likely to come after me because of his passion for social climbing.

Marc: Yes, and I apologize in advance if he ends up becoming a pain in your rear. The three of us are trying to get him to tone that ish down. I even thought getting him some visual cred by being seen with my inner circle on Saturday night would help, but I'm not sure it did. He texted me earlier this afternoon that he was traveling home for Fall break with Lindsey and Emily, which I thought was a good idea since collectively they can probably tolerate his bravado and corny sense of humor, with The Hoff good for the first and Little Miss Joker able to take him blow-for-blow in the funny department. My sister likes the two of them and he knows they're together and thus understands he can't go Rico Suave on them and succeed.

Julie: I haven't had a whole lot of interaction with him, but others seem to think he's a bit of a catch.

Marc: If he had his priorities straight, he would be. Smart, funny, outgoing. Problem is he puts too much value on things that in the end don't really matter, like who you know and how you look. Which is why you'd be in his crosshairs if your connection to Max made it to his ears. Has your opinion of organized religion changed since we met during the Activities Fair?

Julie: Some. I was raised LCMS and both of my parents graduated from schools in the Concordia system, which is why I wanted to come here to play lacrosse and committed before the merger and departure happened. I still have that nagging feeling about people being nice to your face and shooting daggers into your back, but Erin and Steph have shown me that not everyone does that.

Marc: Give them and some of the others a fair shake. Like Alyssa Norman said during Orientation, a good portion of your floor is part of the Peer Ministry Alliance. You'll realize that these women won't treat you wrong. The bigger worry you should have is if you happen to go to church off-campus, where that "Minnesota Nice" attitude comes from the older ladies in the pews, people your parents' and grandparents' age. It's why I worry about dating now that I'm single after the passing of my wife in April. I don't want my partner to deal with their hypercritical opinions.

Julie: This has been an unexpected delight of a conversation, Deacon. Sorry the soccer team is getting drilled.

Marc: It was expected today. The back-to-back games last weekend and the players' desire to get away for Fall break, plus Aurora being a perennial force in the NACC equals a match where this still-wet-behind-the-ears team would probably be outclassed. I take it you're staying in the area for break if you're still here.

Julie: Yeah. I'm waiting for Lindsay to get back from hockey practice, then we're heading to her parents' place in Brookfield. Not sure how much of her dad we'll see since the Admirals have a road game tonight and one on Sunday afternoon. We're going to the game Saturday night against the Crunch because her dad and brother both did time in Syracuse.

As the horn sounded to bring an end to the match, the Thunder faithful gave the women a standing ovation for their effort and then went down to the field to meet up with them. Marc and Dani discussed the match briefly while walking over to Buuck. After all the players left, Dani exited the locker room and she and Marc left campus to have dinner together at Sobelman's before heading their separate ways for the evening.


	46. It All Adds Up

Kathy O'Leary and Amber Sasser were at Eckstein Hall on the campus of Marquette University waiting for Marc to arrive for their meeting with Dr. Jerald McManus to discuss strategy for their October 24th appearance before Judge Laura Granger Peralta in the case of Wolff v. Estate of Danielle Schmidt. Bryan Stewart met Marc as he was walking up from the parking lot with the two men chatting about the start of Colleen's first semester at MSOE. Once inside, Marc introduced Bryan to Kathy and Amber, then the four went up to the second floor and Dr. McManus' office.

Dr. Jerald McManus (to Marc): I see you're leaving nothing to chance when it comes to defeating the contest. Accountant, lawyer, financial planner. All people who would have intricate knowledge of both Danielle's wishes and the "fraud" Roger is claiming.

Marc: I guess my first question is how much can he hope to get if the trust is vacated?

Dr. McManus: He shouldn't be able to get the trust as a whole vacated, because it looks like he is only contesting the latest update to it with the fraud claims stemming from actions on or around that date. If somehow he were able to get the whole thing tossed, intestate succession rules would come into play and he and his sister would be able to argue for 25% shares of the trust, with you as surviving spouse getting the other 50%.

Marc: So his share would move from $6500 up to approximately $19,000 if my math is correct.

Dr. McManus: Yes. It's not HUGE in the grand scheme of her estate, being that the insurance policies and property are together around $150,000, but it's triple what his current inheritance is.

Bryan: When Marc and Danielle did their update in the middle of March, I went through it line-by-line with her and asked if she was comfortable with how we had divided her liquid assets, as there were no children involved yet she was bequesting as though there were. She said yes, that it was her intent to treat the four individuals named as though they were in essence her children. We also went over her desire to make bequests outside of the trust, where she noted that she did not name one of her nieces in the document due to the combined value of the items she would receive by that means exceeding the percentage of the trust that Danielle would have given her otherwise.

Dr. McManus: That sounds open-and-shut. He can't contest HOW she divided her estate without showing some degree of fraudulent behavior on the part of one or more outside actors. He also cannot contest WHY she chose to make such decisions without a declaration of mental incompetence.

Amber: Excuse me if I am wrong about my interpretation of the challenge, Dr. McManus, but it looks like Mr. Wolff is claiming that the overall pot should have been bigger and that Marc deliberately made decisions intended to shelter inheritable assets from the trust through several actions regarding the Urban Coaching Project, those being: the postponement of income from UCP; the increase of expenses without cause; and the gifting to Erin Matheson a 10% stake in the organization.

Dr. McManus: That is correct. How he can prove fraud in this instance isn't as hard as one might think, but is easily countered if you have sufficient documentation of the actions and their intended goals.

Kathy: Which Amber and I have. The first claim of fraud, Marc's choosing to postpone income from newly-signed licensing agreements until August 1st, deals directly with the nature of fiscal year budgeting in the area of education. Almost all educational institutions run on a fiscal year of July 1st through June 30th. As no one would begin using the module prior to the opening of the school year, he set the effective date of the licenses for August 1st, then chose to align the receipt of income from licensing fees with that date. Every agreement for the 2019-2020 academic year was given that August 1st starting date, hence no deliberate intent to hide income.

Dr. McManus: I also think Mr. Wolff is claiming that Marc had a fiduciary duty to act in the best interest of Danielle's beneficiaries once she was diagnosed with the tumor, which does not comport with established estate law. Prior to death, her money is hers, to be spent and received as per her wishes. He COULD claim that she was never told of Marc's scheme to push off receiving income from UCP, but as it is considered a separately-held entity, she did not have the same right to information as she would have if it were jointly-held. That claim can be defeated.

Amber: The second claim, the unnecessary increase in expenses, looks to come from Marc's hiring of a program assistant earlier this year to help manage the drastic increase in interest in the Urban Coaching Project. I have with me a copy of the contract he drafted when hiring Danielle Dillon. All parts of it meet strict scrutiny as it relates to salary, duties, time commitment, and opportunities for advancement based on prior experience.

Kathy: The increase in licensing fees that have come in the past year dwarfs what Marc has spent on Danielle's position, and I can argue that the trickle-down income which Roger is seeking a piece of would not have been there were it not for Marc's creating a more efficient means of handling the organization's growth.

Dr. McManus: If the contract is valid and is in line with what others in similar positions would receive, this argument doesn't go anywhere. So why is this even on the table?!

Marc: It's on the table because Roger's wife believes that I hired Danielle to this position as a means of covering up an affair with her.

Dr. McManus: The plot thickens. So.....is her belief founded?

Marc: The hiring of Danielle, the wage set, the provisions of the contract, all of that was based upon her having taken the coaching module prior to her hiring at Trinity as assistant women's soccer coach and the work she admirably did during the United Soccer Coaches convention in Chicago this past January on behalf of UCP.

Dr. McManus: Didn't answer my question, and based on that I will take it that you and Ms. Dillon have something more than a professional relationship.

Marc: Yes. We began seeing one another about three weeks ago after being colleagues and friends for five years, first through the Milwaukee University Soccer Collective and then at Trinity Lutheran University. Julie has this theory that I chose to pull the plug on Danielle after her stroke because I wanted to be rid of her without having my infidelity disclosed and thus lose power of attorney. She and Danielle's sister attempted to get a judge to grant a temporary restraining order against my removal of life support, but were denied.

Dr. McManus: Amber can push this part of it given she has a better grasp of how the need came to be along with how you and Ms. Dillon were acquainted professionally prior to anything of a personal nature started. The third point, about gifting a portion of the Urban Coaching Project to your goddaughter, what's the beef here?

Marc: There was no succession plan in place at UCP should something happen to myself. With Danielle's illness already known and her prognosis questionable, I wanted to grant a portion of the organization to an outside individual who would be able to make decisions in its best interest were both her and I incapacitated or dead. Naturally, Dani would have been the most obvious choice given her role as UCP's lone employee-to-date, but as you now see, that wouldn't have been wise.

Dr. McManus: Right.

Marc: My other reason for giving Erin a stake in UCP was to protect it against dissolution should I need to liquefy its assets for Danielle's treatment.

Dr. McManus: Which is exactly how privately-held corporations do business. Nothing to see here.

Marc: So how do we make this go away?

Dr. McManus: By beating their lawyer over the head with your documents AND by keeping your burgeoning relationship with Ms. Dillon hushed-up. Remember, the burden of proof is on THEIR side. We don't have to disprove their allegations and can seek dismissal after their side closes for failure to meet that burden. The pretrial motions will likely decide how successful they can be in contesting the trust. I saw in your response that you were seeking to limit Roger to those grounds stated in the challenge, which was a good move. Even though that is something that can't be done administratively, the judge will have read it and won't be stunned when we bring it up on the 24th. Looks like you got a good draw having this go before Judge Peralta. Her dad was a fair-minded jurist on the Municipal Court and a Legal Aid attorney before that.

Marc: I know. Laura and her sister Maggie would walk over to his office after school when the three of us attended Garfield.

Dr. McManus: So you know her already? Shouldn't that have disqualified her from getting your case?

Marc: We were separated by five years in school and there was no overlap after first grade. She might not even be aware of the connection as my sister and I were closer to her uncle's three oldest kids during our elementary school years and beyond.

Dr. McManus: Given that, you should be OK. Knowing her family somewhat well isn't cause for recusal so long as it doesn't end up coming out during the trial. I take it their side hasn't petitioned for a change yet?

Marc: No, and I don't intend to make our acquaintance known.

After leaving Marquette, Marc and his team had lunch at AJ Bombers on Bryan's suggestion, as he wanted to visit his daughter at MSOE that afternoon.

**********

Erin and Steph walked down to Christen's house in Washington Highlands, presumably to hang out with her and Julie and play with the Princes'dogs. While gone, Dani arrived at Marc's place with the latter's birthday cake, followed by Emma and Savannah, Cali, and Alyssa. Abby, taking the bus over from UWM, was barely through the door before the four lacrosse players walking down Washington Blvd. made it to the chaplain's humble abode. When Steph walked in, she took in all that were gathered and socked her girlfriend in the arm.

Steph (to Erin): Was us going down to CP's just a way to get me out of the house so you could throw me a surprise birthday party?

Erin: Actually, it was Marc's idea. We kept it low-key since we knew not many people would be around and I wasn't sure how you'd take to us making a fuss over you.

Steph kissed Erin on the cheek, then went over to Marc and gave him one of her heart-to-heart, melt-in-your-arms hugs. The students went into the dining room to grab slices of Papa John's before returning to the living room.

Marc: This is a perfect birthday for Steph. She was born on 10/10 which adds up to 20, which is her age now.

Steph: I had no idea that you were planning this.

Marc: After Erin told me on Monday that you were going to stay with me for break, I knew we had to do something for your birthday. Asked our lovable sprite yesterday morning if you'd be open to us celebrating it and she said yes if we kept it hush-hush. Hence, the small group you see around you.

Steph: My parents celebrated it with me and Erin a couple days late last year. My dad also lamented us meeting up on the US side of the border, thus he couldn't buy me my first legal drink. That was resolved on Thanksgiving Day when all the parents got together and Erin and I came out as a couple to them.

Alyssa: Sam got out of town before I could do anything big for her yesterday. I'm sure Kristie planned it that way so she could have her all to herself. We need to do something for her when she gets back.

Abby: Erin, I was telling Marc yesterday that I wish you had been at Lunch Bunch with us, because I needed a bit of defense from him.

Erin: He get at you about your anti-Tiger attitude?

Abby: Yep. Even dropped the D word on me.

Marc: Started off as a compliment. Not my fault she fell for the shell game. Actually, it's more of a love-hate relationship, like sibling rivalry.

Christen: Sorry, Abby. Wish I had been there to protect you.

Julie: Katelyn and I both were stuck in neutral after Marc made that comment.

Dani: I got him back for it, eventually.

Cali: We've got mostly couples here. How do you light a fire in your person?

Savannah: It doesn't take much for me to get Emma interested. Part of that is the longevity we have and having seen each other grow into a woman the other finds attractive.

Erin: Steph and I went about it slow and steady, but that was sort of unique in that we were at pretty different places on the experience ladder. Also didn't help that I was constantly worried about Shelley trying to shove me out of my girl's world. Thank God she's given upon chasing her.

Marc: Sorry, buddy, but that's not true. Jessie saw her outside Steph and Alyssa's room yesterday and confronted her. Turns out she was banking on you being gone to take another stab at her. When Jessie returned your key and alerted me to that, I told her she could file a charge of meddling against her. Not sure if she will, but it's a possibility.

Steph: Damn! Jessie tell you anything else?

Marc: Just that she was dressed to kill. Julie Koerner and Jessie left the floor together, so she now knows about your trouble with her and can corroborate Shelley being there. Anyways, that will take care of itself after break. Back to the sex ed talk.

Julie: Christen does very well in turning me on as she's had a lot of practice.

Christen swatted at Julie for insinuating she wasn't all that pure.

Dani: Marc, can I share in front of everyone?

Marc: You sure about that?

Steph: Do it, Dani. Some of us could use a bit of help from the more advanced members of this circle.

Dani: I go commando and discreetly flash Marc. It turns him on like nothing else.

Cali: Whoa, cuz! Any places you want to admit doing it?

Dani: Um, Churchwide Assembly, the Homecoming dance, the first time we did it in his office.

Marc turned beet red at hearing his partner describe some of the kinks of their sex life. Erin left the room and lit the candles on Steph's cake, then had her come over and blow them out. Once the flames were doused, Erin lightly pushed her girlfriend's face forward, getting frosting on her nose and lips. The rest of the evening was full of laughing and telling embarrassing stories about one another. After Cali left, Marc turned out the lights and he and Erin retired to their rooms with the women closest to their hearts.


	47. Papa, Don't Preach

The October meeting of Trinity's Board of Trustees started with an update from Legislative Chair Paul Ridgewell on several bills that were scheduled to come before the Board on November 8th. Board Chairman David Strasser then asked Gavin Winchester to provide a comprehensive overview of the athletic department's plans for expansion and how his planned facility upgrades would play into that.Gavin's response was similar to what he told the Student Government Association on September 25th regarding his intent to move women's soccer and baseball up to Division I. He also laid out a more definitive timeline of when the upgrades would occur. The Board chose to grant $1,200,000 in Trinity Foundation funds to the athletic department, to be repaid upon the passage and collection of a targeted student fees increase by the Student Government Association. Up next was Deacon Marc Schmidt.

Marc: I rise to request approval from the Board of Trustees to open an internal investigation of the athletic department's finances,specifically those of its alumni relations program. Based on the audit performed by Rev. Alex Schroeder Bailey, Chief Financial Officer of the ELCA, there are inconsistencies in both the income and expense portions of the aforementioned area, along with missing data pertaining to the severance package given to Lauren Heberlein upon her resignation as women's lacrosse coach on March 27th.

David Strasser: Questions from the Board?

Laura Hammond: What are you hoping to uncover in your investigation?

Marc: I hope to find out the source or sources of the income attributed to the department's development arm as well as a detailed accounting of its expenditures in the pursuit of that income. There is reason to believe that illegal activity is at the core of the athletic department's fundraising, with a number of student-athletes engaging in said activity at the behest of coaches and administrators. Additionally, the sealed agreement between Gavin Winchester and Lauren Heberlein may well have something to do with the illegal activity, with its provisions a means of silencing the latter by the former.

Gregg Best: Is there any proof of such conduct that would indicate a need to dig deeper into the athletic department's activities?

Marc: Over the past twelve months or so, I have been informed by multiple students, probably close to a dozen, of the presence of a solicitation syndicate at Trinity run by the athletic department and their athletes to procure donations from alumni and boosters for its capital campaign. With no one on the inside willing to come forward with any information pertaining to this, an outside investigation is the only means of separating truth from fiction on this matter.

David Strasser: How long do you expect this inquiry to take?

Marc: I plan to have results at the November 8th Board of Trustees meeting, along with requests for any additional actions I may need to take in pursuit of the truth.

Chairman Strasser moved to approve Deacon Schmidt's request and provide him with the appropriate access and resources to be able to furnish to the board a report of the investigation at its next meeting. Following a second from Lisa Devaney, the motion was voted upon, with the ayes prevailing 33-2.

**********

Angela and Dennis Dillon were seated at the bar at the Chancery waiting for Dani to arrive following the Board of Trustees meeting at Trinity.

Dennis: Do you know why Danielle wanted to have lunch with you and I today?

Angela: Trinity is on Fall break, so she doesn't have practice this afternoon. I think she misses us now that she's living with Michelle, going to grad school, and juggling two professional positions in sports. I also think she's looking for some advice on how to deal with Mom's antagonism over her dating life.

Dennis: Your mom showed me what your sister wrote concerning the new guy in her life. I take it you've met him if you were able to give a positive opinion in response to her.

Angela: Yes. He does for her what none of us has been able to do, that is get her to love herself, warts and all. Marc is a bit of a miracle worker in that regard.

When Dennis saw his youngest daughter enter the restaurant, he and Angela walked over to her. Once they exchanged pleasantries, the hostess on duty directed them to a table in the main dining room. Following the placement of their orders, Angela took charge of the conversation.

Angela (to Dani): How did the Board of Trustees meeting go?

Dani: For once, Mad Dog wasn't on Red Alert dealing with our athletic director. The board approved funds from the Trinity Foundation for the start of upgrades to Niemoller Field and Buuck Athletic Center, but not before Gavin spelled out for them the long-term plan for the department and his desire to move women's soccer and baseball to Division I, as he told Student Government a couple of weeks ago. All was not lost, however. Marc got clearance from the board to start an investigation into the department's finances after an audit done by the ELCA's Chief Financial Officer showed potential mismanagement and questionable expenditures. Hopefully that will be the first step in finally busting up the alumni relations program and the illegal activity it does in the name of fundraising.

Dennis: I'm guessing this is the Marc that you're seeing. What does he do at Trinity?

Dani: His position is a combination of student affairs and distance learning.

Dennis: So why is the Board of Trustees letting him investigate the athletic department?

Dani: He oversees cases of student-athlete misconduct on the department's behalf. Since the illegal activity at the center of the financial shenanigans is being done by members of several athletic teams, he's the one who is best suited to both find it and then discipline the wrongdoers.

Dennis: Angela says that he's been a boost for your self-esteem and has gotten you to accept and love yourself. How exactly has that happened?

Dani: You know the struggles I had in high school and college with binging and purging because I hated how people viewed me and treated me because of my figure, which turned into self-hatred. He accepts me completely without reservation or condition, which has allowed me to accept his love and return it.

Angela: I was telling Dad that we need a bit of help in dealing with Mom's unspoken opinion about you being with him.

Dani: Do we ever! Aunt Judy has probably painted an unflattering picture of him for her because he's not the virile, fresh-out-of-college man that the two of them would desire me to date.

Dennis: He's got some traction on his tires, then?

Dani: Plenty. Judy and Uncle Steve met him after our game against UW-Stout, which is why it seems she has decided to make a stink about our getting together.

Marc appeared around 1:00 and went to the bar to stay out of the Dillons' way while they finished lunch. Dani caught sight of him and excused herself to use the restroom, passing him on the way. After taking care of her business, she stopped and asked him to join Angela and her dad at their table. When the two of them returned to the table, Dennis stood and shook Marc's hand, knowing him from Dani's time with MUSC.

Dennis: Marc! How are things in the sports world? I saw you at the game against Eureka with a group of guys and then afterwards talking with Danielle, presumably about the match.

Marc: It's never boring, that's for sure. Hoping to be able to present the curriculum for the two-semester coaching seminar that will start next Fall at next month's Faculty Senate meeting. With Dani in-season up until the 23rd if not longer, the two of us are going to be on a tight schedule to get it put together by November 7th.

Dennis: She told me about her side gig working for you at the Urban Coaching Institute as well as the opportunities you've given her to testify about the coaching module's impact on her career.

Marc: She has inside knowledge of the module from her time with MUSC, since the things in it aren't really any different than what I'd say to our players who were interested in the profession. Now, I get to preach the same thing to future coaches as well as future church leaders in my role as Trinity's chaplain.

Dani: Daddy, can I be honest with you about something and can you promise not to blow your top after I tell you?

Dennis: Of course, sweetie. It's not like you're going to tell me you're dating THIS Marc, right?

Angela held her breath while her sister tried to find the words to tell their dad the truth.

Dani: Actually.....I am.

Dennis was silent for a while, taking his time to conjure up how he wanted to respond to Dani's confession.

Dennis: This is definitely not the way I wanted to find out about the two of you. Can I ask how old you are, Marc?

Marc: I'm 47.

Dennis: Which is pretty close to how old Steve is, thus why Judy is shaken up a bit by the idea of you two as a couple, projecting her own fear of him looking for someone younger onto Danielle. Theresa and I were already into our 30s when Dani came along and, as the youngest, she was always around the friends of her older sisters, so she grew up a little quicker than "normal" and was more comfortable taking on leadership positions than others. Seeking an older man isn't really a huge shock to me given that.

Angela: They're 22 or 23 years apart on paper, but in term of life situation I'd say it's closer to 10. The growth she has made since graduating from Stritch and her advanced maturity probably adds five years. As for Marc, he's Trinity's version of Dick Clark, I've been told. I read over his profile on the school's website after Dani first told me about him and it looks like he's been around the college environment for most of the past 30 years, between being a student, a staff member, and the two soccer entities for which he's worked, both of which focused on college-age players. He's got that cool neighborhood dad vibe and the students at the school seem to think so as well, as he was asked to MC one residence hall's Sock Hop on Valentine's Day weekend and the school's 80s Homecoming dance last weekend.

Dani: And that doesn't count his hosting "Dancing With The Bishops" at the ELCA's Churchwide Assembly in August. I asked him several months ago which television character he was most like, and he said Jason Seaver from "Growing Pains".

Dennis: I can see that, the calm, hip, embarrass-your-kids dad.

Angela: From Dani and Cali's stories about him being a jesting ballbreaker, I'd have said Tim Taylor from "Home Improvement",because sis would be a PERFECT Jill, the exasperated, serious one trying to keep life from going up in smoke because of her man's need for MORE POWER!

Dani: That was my response when I answered it in return. So, will you help us get him over with the older women?

Dennis: I'm still not 100% sure about you and him together because of the age gap, but I'm willing to give him a chance to win the boys over.

Angela: He met Brent and Shawn at Dani's birthday party at the Sprecher Brewery, and him and Uncle Steve have spoken at several of the home soccer games, I'm guessing. Maybe do a guys' thing where you four, him, and some of his posse get together.

Dani: That would be a really good idea. Marc, think the two Matts would be up for it?

Marc: You know my goofy nephew would be there in a flash since he's already inquired about the status of the other Dillon sisters. Of course, I haven't yet told him that at most one of the other three is available. As for Cali's Matt, maybe it would be a good chance for him to meet the other men in the family.

Dennis: I'll take it up with Steve first and feel him out before committing to it.

Marc: That's fair.

Angela: As for dealing with Mom and Aunt Judy, perhaps have them, you,Steve, along with Olivia and Shawn, come over for dinner next Saturday to celebrate Sweetest Day. I'm sure Dani and Marc and Cali and Matt will be going out, otherwise I'd include them as well.

Marc: Yeah. We're doing a "next chapter" Sweetest Day. Dani and I, Cali and Matt, my goddaughter Erin and her girlfriend Steph, and a pair of professors from Trinity that are similar in age to Dani and myself.

Dani: There's also Michelle and Dawson, the older professor's son.

Dennis: Dawson and his dad helped us move you and Michelle into the house in Brown Deer, right?

Dani: Yes, they did.

Dennis: I guess I should give you my initial impression of the two of you. I can see you have pretty good chemistry, even though I don't want to THINK about how good it might be. Neither of you play to your chronological age, so the gap doesn't look THAT big in-person. I also have never seen my daughter beam with pride and love the way she does when she looks at you, Marc.

Marc: I will never intentionally hurt her, but I can't promise that I won't EVER hurt her, because as the 21st Century philosopher Hannah Montana said, nobody's perfect.

Angela broke out in a fit of giggles and had to grab a drink of water to try and settle them.

Dani: Believe it or not, Marc actually used that line in one of his homilies this semester. He also has trotted out "City Slickers"to explain both the concept of marriage as society's gold standard for relationships and the process of forgiveness, "Necessary Roughness" to delve into relationships society tries to say are wrong, like ours, and a clip from "Maury" to show a modern take on what Joseph would have wanted to do when he found out Mary was pregnant with Jesus.

Dennis: Doesn't sound like what Theresa and I hear on Sundays at St.Eugene's. When does your campus congregation hold worship?

Marc: Wednesday afternoons at Noon. Fair warning, this week's sermon will focus on Pride and its double-edged sword, in a belated celebration of National Coming Out Day, and the one on the 30th will be on the Reformation and how the advances of the past two years regarding the status of women in the church is a modern-day version of Martin Luther taking on the authority of the Catholic Church in 1517.

Dennis: Might have to check it out one of these weeks. In the meantime, be good to my girl and I hope we can meet up again soon.

The four of them rose from their table and walked toward the door. Outside, Dennis hugged both his daughters and shook hands with Marc, with Angela and Dani embracing to celebrate clearing this small hurdle of acceptance. Marc and Dani walked hand-in-hand toward her car, where she pecked his cheek before climbing in and driving away.


	48. Curing What Ails You

Sunday morning's Out Of The Darkness walk at Humboldt Park was attended by a large contingent associated with Trinity Lutheran University. Marc, Dani, Erin, Steph, and Cali were joined by Sofia and Vanessa, along with their moms Monica and Veronica (the former a pharmacy technician at Aurora Psychatric Hospital in Wauwatosa), Julie and Christen, Abby, and Wil and Sarah. After making three circuits of the park, the TLU group gathered near the band shell and shared their individual stories of suicide loss, acts, and thoughts.

Marc: Most of you know that I nearly attempted suicide last December. Fortunately, Coach Hawthorne and her friend Wil Trainor passed me as I was walking toward the Highland Road overpass outside the campus' west gate. When I collapsed, they responded almost immediately and got me to my office where I was able to take some medication and regain my bearings. I haven't had another episode or problems with suicidal thoughts since then, but that doesn't mean they won't come back at some point. It's a daily struggle to remain confident that my life matters to others, but it's one worth fighting because the grief on the faces of those who would be broken by a successful attempt is too much for me to bear.

Monica Hernandez: My brother battled paranoia and anxiety for most of his life. One night when he was 17, he left our house on the south side and went for a walk. Around three hours later, my parents and I were notified that Anibel was found dead on Canal Street just east of the 16th Street Viaduct. Autopsy stated cause of death was blunt force trauma caused by falling from a significant height. His plight is what caused me to consider working in the medical field and eventually led to my job at the Dewey Center as a pharmacy technician. It also helped me to seek early intervention for Sofia when I noticed similar signs of mental illness in her that were evident in my brother.

Steph: My struggles with depression and anxiety would cause me to retreat inside myself. When that would happen, I felt like no one could understand the turmoil going on inside my mind. It was in some of those moments when I would think about my twin brother, Peter, who died shortly after birth and wonder if he didn't get the easier lot of the two of us. I've never come to the point where I've actually planned out a way to die, but the thoughts came on and off in the six months before I came to Milwaukee. Being open about my illness with Erin, Deacon Schmidt, and the medical staff at school has helped keep me committed to taking my medication and connected to my support system when I want to curl up into a ball and hide.

After a couple others opened up about their experience with suicide (Dani and the underlying desire to have one of her binge-and-purges cause enough damage to kill her, Abby and the way her dad's PTSD affected her and her family), the fourteen members of the Thunder family circled up for one large group hug, then walked toward where most of them had parked their cars. Christen, Julie, and Cali followed Marc and the other three back to his place for a relaxing afternoon before all but him would return to the North Shore and prepare for the start of the second half of Fall semester. With the evening free, Marc got a jump on the week's work by reading through Jessie's complaint against Shelley and scheduling a Monday morning interview with her along with forwarding copies of it to Shelley and Sarah.

**********

Marc greeted Jessie as she came into his office for her interview concerning the complaint filed against Shelley. Once both were seated, Marc launched into the questioning.

Marc: I'm just going to have you answer a few questions based on what is in your complaint, more or less asking you to elaborate upon it. First, can you explain how you and the defendant came to cross paths on October 9th?

Jessie: I was in Erin Matheson and Cali Farmer's room on a fashion expedition for a date that was scheduled during Fall break. When I exited their room, I saw Shelley sitting in front of Steph Lafleur and Alyssa Norman's door, which was immediately to the right of Erin and Cali's.

Marc: Were either Erin or Cali with you at the time?

Jessie: No. Erin had given me the key to her room because she was leaving for Fall break, asking me to return it to you or Cali before I left campus.

Marc: I will attest to the fact that you gave me her key at Niemoller Field prior to the Trinity Lutheran/Aurora women's soccer match. What was the gist of the conversation between you and the defendant upon seeing her on Augsburg 3?

Jessie: I asked her how she was able to get onto the floor being she was a commuter student. She replied that she had her ways, then insulted my lack of height and displayed a bit of attitude toward me. I then asked why she was sitting in front of Steph and Alyssa's door and she responded with a contemptuous statement concerning Erin and her desire to steal Steph's affections from her.

Marc: Were there witnesses to your confrontation?

Jessie: One of the other lacrosse players on the floor, Julie Koerner, was exiting her room 2 or 3 doors down from Steph and Alyssa's just after I had started to walk away from Shelley. We talked a bit on our way out of Augsburg and then met up with you at Niemoller.

Marc: In the official transcript, any reference to me will be in the third person as opposed to the second as you are doing during my questioning. We are finished with the informational portion of the interview. Next, I am going to ask you a couple of personal questions in order to establish standing to file a charge of harassment against the defendant. First, are you currently in a committed relationship with anyone?

Jessie: No.

Marc: What is your present dating status?

Jessie: I am in a non-exclusive triad with Erin Matheson and Stephanie Lafleur.

Marc: Thank you, Jessie. That is all I have. Off-the-record, are you and Becca seeing each other now?

Jessie: The date over break was supposed to be the next step in that happening, but I don't think we're at that stage yet. Don't see it being TOO much longer before she broaches it with me and we decide to call it what it is.

Marc: I'm happy for you and her. You've got great potential as a couple. How's school?

Jessie: Always a big challenge. Calc III is kicking my butt at the moment, because it's fairly different than Calc I and II. I'm enjoying my introductory business courses, however, even if I probably won't use most of the knowledge in my chosen field.

Marc: What's your major?

Jessie: Actuarial Science.

Marc: Ahhhhhh......Insurance on Steroids!

Jessie: You know about the field?

Marc: Knew a good handful of Act Sci majors when I was at Drake.

Jessie: I REALLY wanted to go there, but Mom and Dad weren't all that eager to have me be eight hours away.

Marc: Great school right in the heart of the 2nd largest pool of insurance companies in the US. If you're looking for a mentor or someone with experience as an actuary, I might be able to help you out. Trinity's Chief Financial Officer, Sean Forbes, graduated from Drake with a degree in Actuarial Science and then did time in the Des Moines insurance industry before moving on to teach high school math. His wife landed a job with Northwestern Mutual and the two of them came to Milwaukee, with Sean being hired at Concordia as Controller. When a good portion of the Business Services staff left after the 2017-2018 academic year, either to relocate to the campus in Ann Arbor or for other employment opportunities, Sean was elevated to the VP of Finance role, which was renamed Chief Financial Officer last semester.

Jessie: How do you know him other than by reputation and what you may have read in his profile on Trinity's website?

Marc: We lived in the same dorm freshman year at Drake and hung out a fair bit.

Jessie: Any chance you could get me in to see him at some point?

Marc: I think that can be arranged. Enjoy the rest of your day and know that Shelley will be getting the long end of the hickory switch from me if Julie and Steph can provide the necessary corroboration to your complaint.

Jessie got up and left Marc's office, after which he closed the door and called Sarah Hawthorne.

Marc: Sarah? It's Marc Schmidt. I hate calling you at home, but I wanted to feel you out on the sanctions I am looking to hand out to Shelley Zembruski if she's found guilty of the meddling charge against her.

Sarah: I've given her enough leeway before now and told Steph and Erin I'd be harsh with her if she chose not to back away from pursuing Steph. What are you looking to give her?

Marc: Right now, it's a three-match suspension for the meddling, plus making her serve the two matches that were stayed last season. None of that would be enforceable until March, and I'm struggling to come up with something I can hand out that would be more immediate.

Sarah: I'm going to talk to Jamie and Sam Mueller and see if they have ideas, since the first probably has more experience in dealing with off-season misconduct and the other would most likely end up being the enforcer of whatever punishment is devised. After talking with them, I'll get back to you with a suggestion or two. You going to be at tomorrow's soccer game?

Marc: Of course.

Sarah: If I don't speak with you before then, I'll find you at the game and we'll go over the situation.

Marc: Sounds good.

Once Marc hung up, he went through his email and confirmed the interviews he had for tomorrow (Julie Koerner in the morning, Shelley just after lunch) and printed out Steph's forwarded email from April 2nd that will serve as proof of her denial of interest.

**********

During the Peer Ministry Alliance meeting during Monday's lunch hour, Marc took reports from Alyssa, Julie, and Cali on their areas of oversight, then asked Jamie to comment on her first couple of months as associate chaplain from her perspective as a coach and athletic administrator. Alyssa inquired of Marc about plans for the Christmas Eve Service, tentatively scheduled for December 8th.

Marc: Right now, I am planning to have it be done very similar to last year, but with fewer up-front voices and more support from the back of the chapel and within the pews. As Thanksgiving break comes later this year, leaving us only a week afterward to get everything pulled together, I am going to have us start rehearsals a week earlier. The all-campus blast will go out next Tuesday, the 22nd, with the first meeting on the 28th at 6pm.

Steph: Similar idea for the homily, with you, Alyssa, and a third person sharing it?

Marc: I'm really undecided at this point. Last year, we only had Alyssa and Stefan to draw on, then added Karina as the third for the Easter service. This year, we have potentially five people from which to draw, and it could be more depending on who else steps forward to participate. After the critique on there being too many bodies involved in the Easter service, I want to make sure we don't do that this time around.

Alyssa: Smart, Marc.

Marc: As I told the Super Six last Monday, the synod's Reformation Day dinner is on Saturday, October 26th at the Hyatt Regency downtown. After meeting with Bishop Emerson and his assistant on our allotment, we will have a total of 16 seats at the event. Eight of them will be spread out among those gathered, with the other seven plus myself at the Chaplain's table. The names I have submitted from the PMA are as follows: Alyssa; Erin; Steph; Julie; Christen; Cali; Matt; Karina; and Jamie. If any of you are unable to attend or aren't interested, let me know so I can fill those seats in with others.

Christen: What is dress code?

Steph: Similar to what we wore for the banquet at Concordia-Ann Arbor in March or what you might wear for a fancy dinner out with your significant other.

Marc: Yes, to a point. Dress is a bit more conservative than what you might get away with in one of the situations Steph mentioned, and the older generations' women are always on the lookout for "impropriety". If in doubt, get a second opinion from one of the others.

Erin: The list you read only had nine people on it. Who are the other seven?

Marc: Myself, Coach Dillon, Katelyn Rollins and her family, and an extra seat for a person of Coach Krueger's choosing.

The meeting wrapped up shortly before 1pm, which caused several students to sprint out of Siebert in an attempt to make their next classes on time.


	49. Loose Lips Sink Ships

Tuesday's interrogations in the case of Trinity Lutheran University v. Lara M. Zembruski opened with Julie Koerner giving her rendition of the scene in the hallway of Augsburg 3 last Wednesday, corroborating Jessie's explanation of the confrontation. Marc parsed over Steph's letter to Shelley and highlighted the sections he planned to point out in his meeting with the defendant later in the day.

Around 12:15, Shelley and Alanna were walking from the Health Professions Building to Albrecht, with the lacrosse player chewing her classmate's ear off with a rant about the predicament she was in.

Shelley: I just DO NOT GET IT! WHY is everyone blocking my right to give Steph a chance to choose me over that rat's-nested symbol of feminine mediocrity she's currently dating? On top of that, they also have a pipsqueak between them that charged me with harassment for sitting outside Steph's room last week waiting for her return after I saw Erin leave campus for Fall break.

Alanna: Why is getting Steph so important to you? Wouldn't it make more sense to go after someone who is actually available?

Shelley: If I could ever catch up with that one hot-to-trot athlete I saw at the All-Sports Mixer, I'd forget about chasing Steph around. That said, Goalie Girl makes my cooch tingle with sensations like no woman I've seen before.

Alanna: You know you're just causing yourself bigger problems by not backing off.

Shelley: How bad can Deacon Schmidt nail me for this offense? It's not like I don't have the means of proving him to be a biased adjudicator and that he shouldn't be hearing the case in the first place. I just wish I could find a way to send those two a message about standing in my way when it comes to Steph. They'd wish they had never chosen to take me on.

Alanna: Be careful, dear.

Alanna looked inside the seating area at Luther's Landing and saw Katelyn and Abby eating. She told Shelley that she was going to have lunch with her teammate and wished her good luck when she met with Marc in a half hour.

Katelyn: Alanna, I'm not sure you've met my girlfriend yet. Abby Davidson, Alanna Kemper. She's on the women's volleyball team with me.

Abby extended her hand to Alanna, which she shook firmly. "Pleased to officially meet you. I've seen how you and Katelyn are a formidable front-line force on the court."

Alanna: Mind if I vent a little, Kate?

Katelyn: Go for it.

Alanna: One of my classmates just spent the last ten minutes or so bemoaning her inability to win one of her teammates away from her current girlfriend. She even went so far as to wait outside her room one day last week after she saw said girlfriend leave campus for break. She's now in a bit of a mess because another student filed a harassment charge against her over it.

Abby thought she had heard about this at Steph's birthday party from Marc and asked Alanna for more information.

Alanna: Well, she's been after one of Katelyn and I's fellow Goalie Union members, Steph Lafleur.

Katelyn: Oh boy. You know Steph and Erin are together and are just the most freakin' perfect couple.

Alanna: No kidding. Even though I think Kayla and I have a good relationship, theirs is tough to top.

Abby: Deacon Schmidt told the two of them about the incident as the third person told him about confronting Shelley outside Steph and Alyssa's room.

Alanna: She's meeting with the chaplain in a little while.

Katelyn: And he's Erin and Steph's second dad, more or less. Can't see him going easy on her, especially if this has been an on-going issue.

Abby: It has been, from what the three of them said at Steph's birthday party on Thursday night.

Alanna: Think we should tell Coach Krueger about it in case the woman decides to go after Erin or her friend?

Katelyn: Can't hurt.

Abby excused herself so she could go to her 1:00 class, giving Katelyn a peck on the cheek from behind before leaving. The two volleyball players continued to chat for a bit before they walked over to Buuck to prepare for practice.

**********

Marc: Shelley, I have heard from the complainant as well as a witness to your confrontation with her. Now, let's hear your side of the story.

Shelley: Last Wednesday, I was sitting in the Chapel Courtyard following my 10am class, catching a bit of sun. I saw Erin Matheson's car in the Luther parking lot and her heading toward the chapel by herself. The notion came to mind that her girlfriend, Steph Lafleur, wasn't going to be leaving Trinity for Fall break and thus I might have a chance to talk with her without Erin's intruding. After I left my 1pm class, I worked my way over to Augsburg via the tunnel system and went into the lobby to wait for Steph. One of my ASL classmates came walking in and asked me why I was sitting by myself. I told her and she offered to let me up into the residence hall as there were several entrances and it was possible I'd miss seeing Steph if I waited downstairs.

Marc: What is the name of this student so I can have her corroborate your story?

Shelley: Her first name is Maureen. I don't know her last name. She lives on Augsburg 3, toward the low end of the room numbers.

Marc: That should be enough information for me to ask the hall director to fill in the blanks. Continue.

Shelley: I sat down in front of Steph's room to wait for her. Someone exited Erin Matheson's room and turned to me asking how I got onto the floor. I gave her a bit of guff which led to her asking why I was up there. I told her in a matter-of-fact manner my purpose for visiting. She informed me that Steph had left for break earlier, almost like she was glad to disclose that. After that, she walked away and met up with one of my teammates on her way to the stairs.

Marc handed Shelley a copy of Steph's email to her from April where she declared her lack of interest and requested that she cease her pursuit of her.

Marc: Do you remember receiving this email?

Shelley: Yes.

Marc:Why then did you choose to violate the Student Code of Conduct in continuing to pursue Ms. Lafleur after being asked to cease doing so?

Shelley: Because I believe she was not being truthful with me as to her lack of interest.

Marc: I will check up on the student you mentioned granted you access to Augsburg 3, but otherwise I am finished with my questioning. A decision should come down Thursday morning at the latest.

Shelley rose and left Marc's office, hoping that the alibi she manufactured will turn out to be good enough to possibly defeat the meddling charge. Before she left, she handed Marc a notice of challenge to Jessie's standing to bring the complaint. He told her he'd take it under consideration and rule on it by the end of the day.

**********

The Trinity women's soccer team took the pitch at Niemoller Field for warm-ups before their match against Edgewood College wearing multi-colored T-shirts with the word "Equality" across the chest. In the stands, Marc was sitting with Matt Benning, Erin, Steph, Cameron, and Sarah. Steve Farmer walked over and asked Marc and Matt if they could talk for a few minutes.

Steve (to Marc): Dennis told me about having lunch with you, Danielle, and Angela on Friday and how Dani came out about her relationship with you. He and I talked about the idea Angela brought up for a guys' outing and wondered if you and a few of your closest people would want to go to Madison with us for the Wisconsin/Northwestern football game on November 2nd.

Marc: Provided Dani's team isn't playing for the NACC title that day, I'm in. I can possibly get us access to the school's pre-game huddle due to my late wife being an alumna of the UW. Matt, would you want to join us?

Matt: Sure. Who else is going, Mr. Farmer?

Steve: It will be me, Dani's father Dennis, and her brothers-in-law Brent and Shawn, along with whoever Marc invites.

Marc: Which will be my nephew Matt and possibly Dr. Ben Oliphant from Educational Leadership. His son is dating Dani's best friend Michelle.

Steve: I'll send you information on tickets when I get home. We should get back to paying attention to our gals' on-field efforts.

The three guys returned to their seats. Marc and Sarah discussed the situation with Shelley and came up with some additional sanctions that would be more immediate than the five-match suspension Marc had in mind (a weekend ban from campus for the remainder of Fall semester and parking restrictions for Spring semester). Around 3:30, Marc received a text from Jamie Krueger asking for him to meet with her and a couple of her players after the volleyball team finished practice.

Marc: Work is never done. Jamie wants me to meet with her after practice, which means I'll have to leave around halftime. Back to our discussion. The enforcement of the suspension would be left to you. My preference would be to have them all be road games, but it's at your discretion as to how you want to divvy them up.

Sarah: I'm with you on that idea. Are you set with five or will that number end up being more or less?

Marc: It might go up or down one match depending on what her alibi witness says. Any more than that would be the result of some intentional act done by her in addition to the meddling.

The Thunder came out against the Eagles determined to get on and stay on the front foot. A slightly different first XI, with Maria in place of Jordan up top and a midfield box of Kim and Carli in front and Allie and Amanda behind them, produced several chances on goal while being difficult to penetrate defensively. As the contest passed the thirty-minute mark, Edgewood conceded a corner kick. Kim's well-struck in-swinger was headed past Eagle goalkeeper Isabelle Severson by Lexi, giving Trinity a 1-0 lead that they would take into halftime.

**********

Marc met with Jamie, Katelyn, and Alanna inside Buuck's main gymnasium, where the volleyball team had been practicing.

Marc: So what's on your minds?

Katelyn: While Abby and I were having lunch, Alanna came to our table and vented about one of her classmates' whining about the lack of success she has had in gaining someone's affections. It turned out that she was referring to Steph Lafleur.

Marc: Alanna, did Shelley say anything untoward about any of the women?

Alanna: She called one a "rat's-nested symbol of feminine mediocrity" and another a pipsqueak. Also said that she was looking to have you removed from the case as you wouldn't be impartial and that she wanted to teach the two women a lesson about messing with her.

Marc: Wondering how I want to factor this into the rest of the case. On one hand, it looks like someone blowing smoke. On the other, the contempt she verbally displays for those around Steph could lead to further problems and needs to be cut off at the pass. Jamie, what is the longest suspension you've seen handed out for misconduct out-of-season?

Jamie: One month, which would also include a certain number of matches to be missed.

Marc: If I go for a month on this, it could end up being nine games missed if I don't make it effective until the start of their match season. Would Gavin reduce it even though it would be enforced by her coach and not by me?

Jamie: Probably not if you leave space for Sarah to determine how and when to enforce it.

Marc: I'll talk to her after the soccer game finishes and see if we can agree on the parts before I pass judgment. Ladies, thank you for coming forward and I hope Shelley doesn't turn her wrath on either of you. Katelyn, your parents should have already received something in the mail from the synod concerning the Reformation Day dinner on the 26th.

Katelyn: I'll have to ask them, as I didn't see anything while I was at home on break.

Marc: It's an invitation for them, you, and Kendra to be the guests of Deacon Marc Schmidt, chaplain of Trinity Lutheran University, and be seated with him at the event.

Katelyn: You're having us at your table? Why?

Marc: For starters, I like showing off future rostered leaders. In this instance, I chose your dad and you because of the history that would be made if you happened to follow his lead into the pulpit. Alyssa, Steph, and Karina are ahead of you on the road, but none of them have a parent on the roster. I also plan to make a point to the synod of the danger in presuming a man's guilt without all the facts.

Katelyn: I definitely need to call them and pass this along. Will you be at tomorrow night's game against Rockford?

Marc: That will make for a long day, but I think I can do it. Might have to coax some others along.

Marc once again thanked the three women for their help, then waited in the foyer for the soccer team and others to come back to Buuck following the game.

Erica (to Amber): You were amazing in those last twenty-five minutes with us down a player. Too bad a certain someone didn't understand the need to DEFEND first and try to add to her personal goal tally second.

Amber: I don't blame Allie for what she did. We got busted just past the center stripe and it was clearly 1 v 1 against the keeper. If she had waited a couple of steps to make the slide, she could have gotten it in front of their attacker and maybe not even be called for a foul, much less a red.

Erica: So she's out against MSOE, Carli is going to be worse than useless we know, and we need points out of that match to stay in contention for a playoff berth. How do we get it done?

Amber: Let's talk with some of the others over dinner and conjure up a plan.

Marc asked the two defenders about the outcome of the match.

Erica: Lost, 3-2. We were up 2-0 with 25 minutes left, but Allie picked up a red card for a tackle-from-behind as the last defender. They turned the free kick into a goal about 30 seconds later, then got two more before the game ended.

Marc: Tough luck there. I've seen your team gut out results when the numbers have been against you. Just not enough in the tank today to hang on?

Amber: No. It's the fact that we never replaced Allie in the formation. Maria pulled back from the front line to partner Kim, but Carli would not drop back to fill in the void next to Amanda. Too many bodies competing in too close a space made it easy for Edgewood to get around the front five and send numbers to overwhelm Amanda and the back line.

Marc: Something I tell Coach Hawthorne and some of the lacrosse players that you might want to stick away in your bank of pep talk tidbits. Remember how this feels, then go out the next game and refuse to leave the field feeling the same way by taking out that frustration on your opponent.

Amber and Erica thanked Marc for listening and giving them something to think about heading into Saturday. Dani, Sarah, and Cali walked into the athletic center together and saw Marc. After being comforted by him, Coach Dillon and her cousin went into the locker room while the chaplain and Sarah caught up on what was said in his meeting with the volleyball players.

Sarah: What was your meeting with Jamie about?

Marc: A couple of her players had some information to give me concerning our favorite problem child. Seems she spouted off to one of them about wanting to teach our spitfire cherub a lesson and called her a rat's-nested symbol of feminine mediocrity.

Sarah: Ewwww. That's not how I want my players describing their teammates to others, no matter how they might feel about them. Any additional thoughts on her sanctions?

Marc: I want to keep the weekend ban for the remainder of this semester in the package, but I'm thinking about extending the other two. On the parking issue, I think restricting her to a Day Commuter pass keeps her away from stirring up trouble after practice or on the weekends. She's already getting five games, so let's give you the ability to determine those or whatever number within the context of a one-month suspension.

Sarah: How far can I go in enforcing it?

Marc: However far you want. I told Jamie when we talked that if I wanted to suspend her for, say the month of March, it'd be nine games she'd miss. She has to serve at least five, within the confines of the suspension, but you'd have final say in the when and how many.

Sarah: I'll go home and think it over. Can I grab your ear after service tomorrow and talk it out before rendering a decision based on what you hand down?

Marc: Sure.

Sarah left Buuck for home, with Marc waiting until Dani and Cali left the locker room. He got a more detailed rundown of the match from his girlfriend before leaving campus for the evening. At home, he read through the response Maureen Parnell sent him about Shelley's gaining access to Augsburg 3 (the defendant followed a group of Augsburg students past the ID reader while the door was open, with Maureen being part of that group). Marc wrote her back thanking her for partially collaborating Shelley's explanation of the events. Before turning in, Marc wrote out his findings and the planned sanctions that would be delivered in the morning.


	50. Whirlwind Wednesday

The first task on Marc's plate upon arriving on campus today was passing sentence on Shelley for her harassment of Erin, Steph, and Jessie. He plugged in his laptop, loaded Open Office, and read over what he had written the previous evening.

Case OIA2020-3, Trinity Lutheran University v. Lara M. Zembruski

Verdict: 1) Defendant found guilty of harassment of Jessie A. Felder and by association Erin D. Matheson and Stephanie L. Lafleur, specifically the charge of "meddling in an established relationship following a verbal or written request to cease and desist"; 2) Defendant found guilty of slander in the description of Ms. Matheson to a third party, a pattern of behavior which has been on-going for a period of time.

Sanction(s): One-month suspension from the women's lacrosse team, to include at least five matches (three as the result of this case, along with two matches suspended from Case OIA2019-14), to be enforced or modified with magistrate approval by the head coach, Sarah Hawthorne; Banishment from the Trinity Lutheran University campus from 5pm Friday evening until 7am Monday morning for the remainder of the 2019 Fall semester; and Restriction of parking privileges for the Spring 2020 semester from possession of a Universal parking pass to that of a Day Commuter parking pass.

Addendum: Ruling is stayed for 48 hours to allow for further discussion between all relevant parties related to enforcement of the sanctions. Should there be no modifications, the above list will go into effect at Noon on Friday, October 18, 2019.

Marc sent off copies of his ruling to Shelley, Jessie, Erin, Steph Lafleur, Sarah, and Jamie, then turned to finishing off his homily for worship on the double-edged sword of Pride.

**********

Following worship and Lunch Bunch, Sarah and Marc met in his office to discuss Shelley's sanctions and whether her coach wished to modify it in some way.

Sarah: A one-month suspension, how many days in total would that be?

Marc: One month is typically 30 days, but with mandatory off days excluded, I'd say 25.

Sarah pulled out her season's calendar and wondered how she could splice up the 25 days to create the most efficient and effective means of restricting Shelley from creating turmoil for the team.

Sarah: You also said if I went for one month straight, as many as nine matches could be included?

Marc: Yes.

Sarah went back to her calendar and schedule, then marked the five games Shelley HAD to miss, adding in any additional dates surrounding them.

Sarah: We have nine road matches in 2020, so those matches and the surrounding travel days make 15 total. If I suspend her the first two weeks of the season, that's 8 more, then add a couple of random days within the season to get to 25.

Marc: So a full-season road ban?

Sarah: Yes. It's fairly clean and it leaves her no ability to stir stuff up without running even further afoul.

Marc: I'll sign off on it if you want to modify my punishment that way. Write it up and submit it to Jamie, then send me a copy to place in the file as an addendum to my list of sanctions.

The two of them left his office for other points on campus, with Sarah returning to Buuck and Marc going to Schreiber for the field hockey team's match against St. Norbert.

**********

The Thunder women's field hockey team polished off a clinical 5-2 win over their rivals from the Green Bay area, with Savannah accounting for two assists. After the match, Marc caught up with Emma and her girlfriend.

Marc (to Savannah): Great game from you today. I know you're not much of an offensive threat usually, so getting on the score sheet more than once had to be gratifying.

Savannah: I'm starting to do more on the offensive side of the field, but with us playing away almost all the time, few people have seen that change in my game.

Marc: So do you two lovebirds have plans for Saturday night yet?

Emma: We're going to Calderone Club near Savannah's house for dinner, then crashing at her place for the night.

Marc: A big group of us are going there as well. Do you want to keep your reservation or have me contact them and transfer it over into ours?

Savannah: Who else will be with you?

Marc: The usual suspects. Coach Dillon, Erin and Steph, Cali and her boyfriend, Coach Hawthorne and her guy friend Wil, a couple of professors from the School of Education, and Coach Dillon's best friend and her boyfriend, who's the professors' son.

Savannah: What do you think, Emma?

Emma: I think I'd like to join them. I can call the restaurant after dinner and ask to have our two seats added to the other reservation. Whose name is it under?

Marc: Mine. You going to the volleyball match after dinner?

Emma: Don't think so. Tori and I are getting together to work on something for our Intro to Mass Comm class.

Savannah: Me either. Going to use the time Emma's across the hall to get a significant jump on a paper for Intro to Sociology.

Marc said goodbye to the pair and walked back to Buuck Field House, picking up his dinner of two hot dogs and a box of popcorn at the concession stands. While eating, the Rollins came in and walked over to the chaplain.

Joe Rollins: I got an invitation from Matt Sherman for the Reformation Day dinner on the 26th, which said you had requested that we be seated at your table. Why?

Marc: I spotlight my up-and-coming freshmen at the dinner, so their names get around to the rest of the synod and connections get to be made prior to the process for candidacy begins. I also want to make a special point to some of the back pew malcontents about the damage that can be done when they are in a rush to judgment based on their own fears before having all the facts.

Paula Rollins: Thank you, Marc, for coming to Joe's aid when he needed it. I wasn't willing to believe him when he said he had nothing to do with what he was picked up for, but you did and went to bat for him with the bishop.

Marc: It's part of my job, to listen and use what and who I know to get people out of jams not of their own making. I still think the censure from his congregation is a load of penguin pucks, and I am hoping that it can be scrubbed from his synodical file soon.

Katelyn's parents and sister went inside while Marc finished off his meal, after which he joined Kayla, Abby, and Gretchen in the stands. The Thunder took a quick lead on the Rockford Regents in Set One, which they won 25-11. Set Two was a bit tighter, but still collected by Trinity, 25-14. With the adrenaline flowing and an opportunity to nose ahead of Lakeland for second place in the conference with a straight-sets win, little was left to chance in Set Three and the Thunder closed out the match with a 25-8 triumph.

**********

In his home office after returning from campus, Marc was reading through his email to look at the fallout from his decision earlier in the day. Jamie sent a note of thanks both for attending the match and for believing her players' explanations of Tuesday's happenings. She also said the sanctions looked to be fair given Shelley's track record. As he read over Shelley's claim of bias that was filed with Dr. Moncrief in Student Affairs, he noticed that she wasn't content with getting him out of her case, but that she was also seeking to have him stripped of student-athlete misconduct oversight altogether. Marc penned a response to the allegation stating his position for handing out the litany of sanctions against Shelley. He then turned in for the night, tired from a long day.


	51. Laying Down The Law

From: shawthorne  
To: jkrueger  
CC: lmzembruski, mschmidt  
Subject: Case OIA2020-3 Sanctions

After multiple conversations with Deacon Schmidt and Coach Krueger, I plan to make the following modifications to Shelley Zembruski's on-field sanctions:

1) The one-month suspension handed down by Deacon Schmidt will be spread out over the course of the 2020 season, to include the following dates:

January 13-16, 21-24, 29 (9 total)  
March 6-11, 20-21, 27-29 (11 total)  
April 1, 8, 17, 18, 22 (5 total)

2) All dates listed above are considered "unexcused absences" and thus may subject the student-athlete to further consequences related to playing time, all-conference nominations, and/or team leadership positions.

This is considered to be a FINAL WARNING by myself to the student-athlete. Any additional acts of misbehavior will result in dismissal from the women's lacrosse team.

Sarah Hawthorne  
Head Women's Lacrosse Coach

Dr. Moncrief requested Marc meet with him this morning to discuss the notice of challenge filed with him by Shelley. The chaplain asked Sarah and Jamie to attend with him so as to clear up any misconceptions that existed regarding the student-athlete's motives for the filing and her pattern of misconduct since matriculation in August 2018.

Albert Moncrief: Ms. Zembruski's filing indicated a number of grievances against your handling of her case as well as cases in general for the athletic department. I see that you have brought two members of the department to perhaps shed some light onto these matters. I'll start with her major grievance, which is that you have been biased in the cases you have adjudicated concerning her because of a conflict of interest with an ancillary victim of her wrongdoing. Would you care to fill in the blanks that she left in her description?

Marc: All three instances of her running across the wrath of my office have dealt with actions taken on third parties and have not been direct conflicts with the one or two student-athletes which she claims I am biased toward, those being my goddaughter Erin Matheson and her girlfriend Stephanie Lafleur. Granted, the second and third ones directly affected those individuals, but neither one was the victim in either case.

Albert: In any of these cases, was there another mechanism for adjudication that would not have involved you as the finder of fact and passer of judgment?

Marc: As Ms. Zembruski is a commuter student, the hall tribunals set up last Fall are not allowed to hear cases involving such students, even if one party to the complaint is residential. Additionally, this most recent run-in involved a student who is not a resident of the hall in which it took place, leaving only your office or mine as the forum for a hearing on the matter.

Albert: Sarah, as the complainant's coach, is there anything you can contribute on behalf of her for me to better understand the rationale for this filing?

Sarah: Shelley has been a menace toward Erin Matheson since her arrival at Trinity. I was not on-campus until January and thus was not privy to what occurred last Fall concerning her pursuit of Steph Lafleur, only being brought up to speed on it by other members of the women's lacrosse team early in Spring semester. Shelley believes that, based on her looks and "desire", she is entitled to have Steph as her partner, irregardless of the decision she has made to be in a committed relationship with Erin. On top of that, she also believes that Deacon Schmidt is using his position to punish her over-and-above her actual offenses because of her desire to be with Steph.

Albert: Jamie, can you inform me why the athletic department chose to place its student-athlete misconduct function under the Office of the Chaplain?

Jamie: It is my understanding that Carthage housed all disciplinary matters under the auspices of Residential Life, being there was such a small commuter population at the school. At Concordia, as you're aware, most cases started with residence hall directors but would quickly find their way either to your office or the athletic director due to the range of sanctions both offices were able to employ that were not available within the walls of the residence halls. When Trinity was founded and we discussed our process for handling student-athlete misconduct, there was a belief that having it maintained within the walls of the athletic department would be akin to self-dealing, as coaches and athletic administrators are loathe to pass along sanctions which would harm their on-field performance or bottom line. Thus the idea was born to follow what many other colleges do and place this function outside the purview of the athletic department. Gavin or myself still review all sanctions and can modify them if we choose, as was done concerning one student-athlete in January where he felt a sanction levied by Deacon Schmidt was too harsh in proportion to the crime committed.

Albert: Has a decision been rendered on the current case involving Ms. Zembruski?

Marc: I passed judgment yesterday morning and sent my decision to Sarah, Jamie, and the participants in the case.

Marc handed Albert a copy of his decision, followed by Sarah handing him a copy of the email with her modifications to the sanctions levied.

Albert: Given the decision rendered in March which was partially stayed, the actions listed in this most recent complaint along with evidence from Ms. Lafleur to prove her request for Ms. Zembruski to cease and desist her pursuit, and a need to deter others from making similar choices, I find the handling of this matter to be appropriate.Therefore, I have no reason to believe there was bias in Marc's adjudication of the case and thus dismiss the challenge.

Walking away from Albert's office, Marc and two coaches saw Shelley waiting outside his office on full boil. After entering, the three of them took up places across from her, who was standing in front of Marc's desk.

Shelley: A full-semester suspension from the team?! That seems WAY TOO MUCH for just sitting outside Steph's door and perhaps popping off a couple of comments about that waste of womanhood she's choosing to date. Deacon, you are clearly going overboard and have it out for me because I'm just SO MUCH BETTER at being a girl than your little Erin the ogre.

Marc held his tongue, allowing Sarah to respond to her student-athlete.

Sarah: I'd be careful with your accusations if I were you. Spreading out the suspension across the entire Spring semester was MY idea, made after looking at our schedule and seeing where the most good could be done for the rest of the team in managing your missteps.

Jamie: Your comments this week have been most disturbing to me as both a woman and a coach. How anyone can hold such views about another human being made in God's image, I can't understand. Were you one of my athletes, you would probably have been dismissed already because having one malcontent on a team of twelve is much harder to tolerate than one on a team of twenty-eight.

After being humbled by Jamie's comments, Shelley asked Marc for a comprehensive run-down of her punishment.

Marc: I will leave the suspension until the end as Sarah will have an easier time explaining it relative to your season than I would. You are not to be on the Trinity Lutheran campus from the end of business on Friday afternoons, which is 5:00pm, until one hour before the first class of the day on Monday mornings, which is 7:00am, to begin this Friday and run until December 13th, the last day of finals for Fall semester. At that point, the campus is closed to students until resident assistants are allowed to return on January 9th, 2020, with residential students welcome to return the following day. Starting on January 13th, you will be restricted to the conditions and regulations of Day Commuter parking for the duration of the Spring 2020 semester, with access to the lots between the hours of 7:00am and 5:00pm, Monday through Friday.

Shelley: How does this affect my ability to practice with the team?

Sarah: That we will discuss closer to the start of the season, once I determine when practice will be held. There may be no conflict between your parking restrictions and practice, but if there is, there will be some modification made in consultation with Deacon Schmidt, as was done for a student-athlete this past Spring whose class and practice schedule conflicted with the restrictions she was on.

Marc: Sarah, will you go over the suspension?

Sarah: Shelley, your suspension covers 25 days and will involve nine matches missed. You will begin preseason practice on January 27th, two weeks after the rest of the team. From there, you will serve the ninth day of your suspension on January 29th, which is our scheduled "Recruit Day", then nothing until we start the match schedule, where you will serve 11 days of the suspension in March and the remaining five days in April. All days suspended those two months coincide with road games, including the day prior to the team's final true road game on April 18th.

Shelley: So I will be restricted to on-campus practice and home matches this season?

Sarah: That is correct.

Shelley: If I sat out the 2020 season, would that be sufficient to serve the suspension?

Jamie: I'd say so. Sarah?

Sarah: That would work. Marc?

Marc thought about the offer Shelley was making and saw the loophole that could be exploited by it.

Marc: If Shelley does not take the field at all in 2020, she maintains that year of eligibility and could thus utilize it for the 2023 season if she were still here. It's similar to what Lauren would have been able to do if we hadn't sought a conference-wide suspension or a show-cause order from the NCAA.

Jamie: How do we close the back door?

Marc: Letter to compliance restricting her eligibility to the four years immediately following matriculation, which would end following the 2022 Summer Term. She COULD withdraw from Trinity altogether and maintain what eligibility still exists, but otherwise it will be lost were she to sit out this year. If she transfers, you can seek out reciprocity with the receiving institution.

Shelley: Why are the two of you talking as though I'm not here?

Marc: Chime in any time you like.

Shelley: So I'm losing or using a year of eligibility however I decide to deal with the suspension.

Marc: Yes.

Jamie (to Sarah and Marc): I've got a thought, but I want to discuss it with the two of you in private.

Marc (to Shelley): Do you have anything else you wish to say in your defense or in response to the sanctions?

Shelley: Not at the present time. I should be getting to class. Will you be around tomorrow, Deacon?

Marc: I wasn't planning on it with the schedule I have been on for the past two weeks or so. I will be back on Monday, and it's fairly open aside from my Super Six meeting at Noon.

Shelley: I'll stop by and see you then.

Once Shelley left, Marc, Sarah, and Jamie moved to his conference table along the back wall of his office.

Jamie: We're not going to get anywhere trying to get Shelley to correct her attitude and behavior by continuing to heap sanctions on her. She needs to see a way to rehabilitate herself through being good and staying away from mischief-making. So I recommend Sarah have some ability to scale back the sanctions if she is getting the compliance from Shelley she desires.

Marc: I see.....sort of the concept of "catch them being good"?

Jamie: You could say that.

Sarah: What are you suggesting, Jamie?

Jamie: I guess backing off on the road ban slightly, allowing her to accompany the team on conference road trips even if you stay put on the match suspensions.

Sarah: Something to consider if she doesn't make a fuss about being left back from the longer ones, like Spring break and the Twin Cities weekend.

Jamie: And Marc, maybe provide some exceptions to the stringent Day Commuter pass for on-campus events that are semi-public in nature.

Marc: Such as the Luther's Promise banquet on April 3rd.

Jamie: Exactly. I also think we have a much BIGGER fish to fry within Trinity athletics than her. If she can help a little, maybe offer something in return.

Marc: A plea deal for information which leads to taking down the prostitution ring Sara and Gavin are running.

Sarah: We all love Dani, right? Breaking the ring will undoubtedly help her as she'll be elevated at least temporarily to replace Sara. I'd say do what you have to in order to get rid of her and possibly Gavin should the evidence point to him being involved beyond that of a rubber stamp following its conception.

Jamie: Works for me.

Marc: Let me at that b****! No offense intended to those of the female gland at this table.

Sarah and Jamie laughed at Marc's apology.

Jamie: None taken. I really wonder how far this ring goes and if I might be able to make a certain somebody squirm under the naked light bulb of interrogation.

Marc: So Jamie has an enemy on this campus? Interesting.

Jamie shared with the other two about her run-ins over the years with the head women's basketball coach, Alice Gilbert, which included her being promoted to assistant athletic director and SWA over the long-serving leader of the Lady Falcons. The threesome eventually wrapped up their discussion and the two coaches left Marc's office to return to Buuck.


	52. It Was A Good Day

Football Saturdays on a college campus are a special time, not just for those on the gridiron or in the stands, but also for the school's other teams as a certain level of interest and support are piqued by seeing those athletes walking around the grounds. Training Table for the women's soccer team was highlighted by the absence of Carli Lowe. Casey Schultz had cleared the junior midfielder to participate in all remaining matches, both home and away, following an updated grade report. Sara, however, did not read the email stating such prior to leaving campus on Friday afternoon and thus kept Carli assigned to a full slate of fundraising meetings that night. With Allie Lerner suspended due to her red card in the match against Edgewood, the midfield would see a bit of a shakeup. Sara announced the lineup once the team was on the bus for the short trip down I-43 to the Milwaukee School of Engineering.

\------------------------Emily

\----------Erica----------Amber------Cassie

Robyn------------------Amanda-------------------Cami

\-------------------------Kim

\-----Cali----------------Jordan----------------Lexi

A number of players discussed the rationale for running out this version of the 3-4-3, as it was overly defensive and wouldn't do much except attempt to keep the Raiders off the scoreboard. The program's math guru, Coach Dillon, knew that a draw today would do little in the race for the final spot in the NACC tournament as there was no expectation of help coming from others in the league, meaning wins over MSOE and Alverno would be the only means of grabbing the last berth.

A packed Viets Field greeted the two Milwaukee-area teams. Most local parents and some from further out made the trip to Eastown for the Thunder's final road match of the season, while Raiders supporters were anticipating their team securing a first-round bye with a win today. As Lexi took up her position on the near sideline, she looked into the stands and caught eyes with Cameron, then blew him a kiss and touched her heart. MSOE took the opening kickoff and chose to make the game a battle of wills through their explosive center forward and midfield triangle. Unfortunately, Trinity's formation clogged up Route One by making the Raiders navigate several roadblocks in their attempts to score. The Thunder's ability to counter through Kim, Cali, and Lexi produced a couple of scary moments for the MSOE defense and goalkeeper, but no scoring and the two teams headed to halftime knotted at zeroes.

The second half began with Sara replacing Cami with Raquel and Cali with Maria, but no formation change. Once the players were on the field and took up their positions, Erica and Amber both saw the mess that was staring at them. A quick discussion before Jordan and Lexi took the kickoff resulted in them developing a semi-wrinkle they would channel through the team once a stoppage of play occurred in the match.

\------------------------Emily

\------------------Erica---------Amber

Robyn------------------Amanda-------------------Cassie

\----------Maria----------Kim------------Raquel

\-------------Jordan------------------Lexi

This formation, when properly spread out, would be a 3-4-1-2 on offense (Amanda drops back between Erica and Amber with Kim tucking into the hole behind the forwards) and a 4-1-3-2 on defense (Robyn and Cassie retreat to the back line and Kim pulls back in line with Maria and Raquel). The Thunder's counterattacking game down the wings was more vibrant in the second forty-five and led to a goal from Kim set up by Lexi knocking down a cross from Maria for the wee midfielder from Thiensville to drive home. With Trinity in the lead and time ticking away on the Raiders, Sara brought on Dionne for Cassie and Cali for Jordan. In a matter of seven minutes, MSOE was able to turn their 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead by exposing the holes left by the Trinity coach's substitutions. Erica called the team into a huddle after the second goal and attempted to fire up her sisters-in-arms.

Erica: We have eight and a half minutes to get this goal back and force OT. We did NOT play the way we did the first 75 minutes to go down like this AGAIN! Here what we do: Myself, Dionne, and Robyn across the back, Maria, Amber, and Amanda the next line, Kim in the gap, Raquel up front and Lexi into the 9. Now let's go tie this thing!

Upon kickoff and getting re-positioned, Trinity's midfield layout resembled the skinny diamond they played against Illinois Tech, a match the Thunder won 5-1. The flood of numbers against a Raiders squad trying to get out of Dodge with the three points led to a horrible take-down on Kim just outside the penalty area in the 88th minute. As the injured player was being attended to, Amber moved up to take the free kick, then signaled Dionne to get in the box with Amanda dropping back to cover the hole in front of Erica and Robyn. Kim was escorted off the field and Jordan came on to replace her, going directly into the penalty area and giving the Thunder three significant targets in the 18 (Jordan at 6'0", Dionne at 5'11", and Maria at 5'11"). As Amber made her run-up to the ball, she saw MSOE was putting most of its markers on the three giants and shading toward the near post. She backed off and called out for Lexi to come over to her.

Amber: They're cheating everything to the near post expecting one of the three bigs to head it on. You've got the left foot. Can you somehow swing the ball around our players into the far upper corner?

Lexi: Haven't had to do it with THIS much height in front of me, but it's possible. If I hit it right, there's a chance. If not, it will either go 10 feet over the bar or won't clear Dionne.

Amber: They're expecting me to take it and I'll move toward the ball like I am, then you do a standard two-step run-up and let loose.

Amber positioned herself to take the kick with her right foot, with Lexi offering a supposed decoy from the left side. After a bit of jostling signified the Raiders defending to the near post, Amber took a step forward then stopped, with Lexi striding to the ball and hitting a perfect curl that went nowhere near the mass of humanity gathered around the east half of the goal and instead tucked into the west upper corner with the goalkeeper completely screened on the shot. Amber lifted Lexi off her feet, then the two of them were surrounded by their teammates in celebration. With the match level and so little time remaining, both teams were resigned to playing out the last bit and heading to extra time. The bend-but-don't-break mentality of Trinity's defense stifled MSOE, but in the process of trying not to lose the match, the Thunder didn't give itself much opportunity to win it and had to settle for a 2-2 draw against the defending league champions.

**********

While waiting for Lexi to come back up to the field from the locker rooms, Cameron chatted with her parents about their plans for the rest of the day. He was outfitted in a casual sweater vest and long-sleeved button-down with chinos. As he was deep in conversation with the Millens, Cam didn't notice Lexi sneak up behind him. After acknowledging her presence, he let her parents have first crack at congratulating her before the two of them made the short walk over to Pisano's for a late lunch/early dinner.

Cameron: That free kick was amazing! How do you get that kind of turn on the ball?

Lexi: Lots of practice. Training with Jordan in the summers was a good way for me to develop that part of my game, as clearing her 6'0" frame and keeping the ball under the crossbar, which is 8' high, can be mighty tricky some days.

Cameron: Can I just say that you look even more adorable today than the other times I've seen you dressed up?

Lexi blushed, then leaned across the table and placed a light peck on Cameron's lips. "Yes you can, but I can't take full credit for it. Knowing we were going out after the game, I didn't want to pack something that would be difficult to keep unwrinkled or would take up a huge amount of room in my bag. So I chose one of my lighter summer dresses and sandals, which were easy to squeeze into little pockets of space."

Cameron was slightly flummoxed on what to say next, as he didn't have much in the way of experience with one-on-one dating, usually going out with Billy and/or Tori and their current attachments.

Lexi: Tell me about growing up a triplet. I'm sure you have some stories about people getting you and Billy confused, or maybe even you and Tori when you were a lot younger.

Cameron: How the three of us were treated in school was interesting to say the least. You have Billy, the prototypical boy. Tori was stuck between her personality, which as you know is extroverted and friendly, and her perception of who she was, as the traditional girl things never interested her. Maybe that came from being the only girl of four kids and just modeling or emulating what we did, or maybe it was her wiring. Then you have me, who was on a completely different path than the two of them. At times, both of them hated me because teachers would seek to encourage them by using me as an example. It made me shell up a bit, because I HATED the attention I would get for being a nerd or dweeb or geek or whatever term you want to use for someone who is smart and a bit awkward. I also got used a bit in school because of it, with people pretending to be your friend just to get help on exams or papers, then refusing to socialize with you otherwise. So tell me about your family. I've met your parents and they seem happy to see me in your life. Any siblings?

Lexi: I have two older sisters. In some ways, all three of us are rebels. Jocelyn was the one who chose not to go onto college immediately because she didn't know what she wanted to do in life. Jenny left home at eighteen for college and ended up returning to Oak Creek after two years with a temporary husband and my nephew Simon. I rebelled by dating beneath myself, by not taking school seriously, and by doing some things that I'm not proud of and that I hope won't make me damaged goods in the eyes of people around me.

Cameron reached over and took Lexi's hand in his, then squeezed it. "I don't see you as damaged goods. Life isn't always a straight line. Sometimes, you have to experience pain or rejection or disappointment to get to a place where the good can find you."

Lexi: That sounds like something Deacon Schmidt would say.

Cameron: Actually, the idea comes from a friend of mine back home. He's several years older than me and went to Marquette for music performance before getting bit by the church bug. Matt's currently finishing up his seminary studies at LSTC in Chicago. That's how I got interested in Trinity Lutheran for college and eventually talked Billy and Tori into joining me.

Lexi: My dad told me that you were undecided on a major, but that Mass Comm might be something you'd consider. Any further thoughts on that or on what we discussed in my room after the dance?

Cameron: Not really. I want to do something with my life that is meaningful and contributes to the greater good in society, but I also can't see myself turning overnight into the activist type that Tori is. I'm not wired that way, and my social anxiety gets in the way when it comes time to take a stand on something of importance.

Lexi: It'll come to you, bae. Trust me.

Cameron: Did you just call me bae?

Lexi giggled. "Yes, I did. I hope you don't mind."

Cameron: Not one bit.

After paying the check, Lexi and Cameron went for a walk along Water Street, with her pointing out some of the major buildings in the area (Marcus Center, City Hall, Fiserv Forum, Pabst Theater). The pair held hands on the drive back to campus and stayed that way while walking toward Augsburg. Upon entering, Lexi took a left and went with Cameron into the tunnel which connected her residence hall to his (Chemnitz). There, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him toward her, with the two of them sharing their first mutual kiss.


	53. Family Matters

The Calderone Club was busy this evening with couples stopping in to celebrate Sweetest Day. The first couple of the Schmidt party, Savannah and Emma, arrived close to 6pm and waited outside for others. Cali and Matt were the next to show up, followed by Sarah and Wil. The remaining four couples drove up to the restaurant back-to-back, with Ben, Megan, Dawson, and Michelle together in one vehicle and Marc, Dani, Erin, and Steph in another. After a series of check-outs and compliments, the group went inside and were seated almost immediately. The evening's special menu made ordering very easy and the seven couples settled into a free-flowing conversation over dinner.

Marc: A year ago, I was in Kansas City officiating my first wedding since being consecrated. Being back in my old world of women's soccer for that weekend was both a good and a bad thing. Good in the sense that it allowed me to bring closure to the life I left behind after shuttering MUSC, but bad in that I was miserable in that environment by myself, and my liver told me about it the next morning. Where was everyone else on this day last year?

Ben: I don't know if I should be so bold, but I think Megan and I were creating a daughter that night.

Megan blushed at her husband's admission, with Dawson giggling a little bit.

Savannah: Emma and I had played our final game as part of the University School field hockey team and gorged ourselves on Kopp's that evening.

Michelle: Dani and I had dinner here and made the decision to get a place together once we had the up-front money for rent and security deposit.

Dani: That evening went a LOT better than the previous six-to-eight hours.We lost to MSOE, 6-0, and a certain someone decided to put me on the rack over my friendship with her substitute dad. Remember that, Erin?

Erin: Yes, and pops let me have it after he returned from KC for doing that.

Sarah: I think Wil and I went to Cheesecake Factory to celebrate my getting the job offer at Trinity.

Matt (to Cali and Dani): I'm hoping Angela's intervention with your parents tonight works.

Cali: Really! How can anyone be against what is obvious to those who have been with Deuce and Mad Dog for any period of time?!

Marc: Seems like the dads are at worst neutral at the moment. It's getting the moms to warm up to it.

Ben: Believe me, I understand your situation. Megan's parents proved hard to win over because they thought I was using my position in the School of Education to pressure her into a relationship.

Megan: The kids weren't really any help in getting over with them, so Ben and I had to prove to them that there was a mutual attraction and desire to be together. I'm curious, where would the other couples here rank their relationship on a scale from 0 to 10, with 0 being casual dating and 10 being "I do"?

Steph: I'd put Erin and I around a 7. No real doubts of it going all the way, but we're too young to think that far ahead.

Emma: 7, maybe 8. No-brainer that we'll end up in front of Marc at some point saying the words, but not now.

Matt: 2 or 3.

Cali: I'd say 3.

Michelle: 6. Early discussions about the future, but no plans to change where we are for a couple of years, I think.

Sarah: I hope Wil will agree with me on this, but some days it's 8, other days 2. A lot of the foundation is there to get to the altar, but still a long way to go in translating what we feel for each other into building a relationship.

Dani: How I feel, 9. Where we are in reality, probably 4.

Marc: 10 for commitment, 2 for public acknowledgment.

While their server was handling the check, Marc raised his glass and proposed a toast.

Marc: To my new family. May we continue to be one big happy and may others come to join us in the near future.

Everyone at the table took a drink from whatever they had handy before getting up and exiting the restaurant. After saying their goodbyes to one another outside, the seven couples got into their vehicles and left the area to continue their evening elsewhere.

**********

Over a meal of prime rib, Caesar salad, baked potatoes, and red velvet cake, Angela and Brent, Olivia and Shawn, Theresa and Dennis, and Judy and Steve parsed out what they knew and felt about the two couples in the family absent from the table.

Olivia: What are Cali and Dani up to tonight?

Angela: They are out on a big group date with Cali's roommate and her girlfriend, some people from the TLU staff who are together, and Michelle and her boyfriend. Think one of them told me plans were to go to the Calderone Club on Port.

Steve: I'm sure being with their guys and others will be a good way to get their minds off today's game that was such an up-and-down struggle. I don't see the logic in most of Coach Manning's decisions or how she tries to patch over the team missing Carli, or Allie for that matter.

Judy: Any chance the athletic director considers a change after the season?

Brent: I seriously doubt it. The team's record is better than last year, they have no seniors, and a friendlier conference schedule in 2020 with some of the low-end playoff teams coming to Niemoller and a couple of for-sure wins on the road.

Dennis: She might be able to stave off the axe based on the team's relative on-field performance, but if Deacon Schmidt's investigation into the athletic department turns up what is expected, there's no way Sara will be allowed to stay on. Gavin will cut her loose in order to keep his own neck out of the NCAA's noose.

Angela: The alumni relations program Dani mentioned at lunch last week?

Dennis: Yes. I'm sure Shawn or Brent can tell you what REALLY goes on under that title.

Shawn: Yeah. UWGB had a handful of female students who would escort men's basketball recruits or boosters around campus and to various off-campus events. No one really said what went on, but we knew what was happening.

Theresa: You mean.....

Shawn: Yes. The classic exchange of skin for bones.

Judy: How deep does he think the soccer program is into it?

Steve: According to what Cali has told me, they seem to be at the center of it, with the largest group of athletes participating and Sara being the connection between Gavin and the women. She knows of at least three of her teammates who either are or were part of the ring.

Olivia: Back to the topic at hand. What do we think about Dani and Cali's men?

Judy: I like Matt and I hope she doesn't flake on him in search of a more "public" guy. As for this Marc, can't say I have much of an opinion as I don't believe I've met him.

The Dillon sisters, their husbands, Dennis and Steve exchanged looks with each other as if to say, "Oh yes, you have!"

Angela: I for one think Matt and Marc are so right for the two of them. Steady, supportive, a little more experienced in life and thus more sure of who they are and what they want.

Steve: I'd say that's a good description.

Dennis: Seeing Danielle and Marc together, there is a sense of them being hand-in-glove, a very comfortable fit.

Angela: When she told me about him the first time, the description she gave was they each had the right fix-it kit to patch up the other person's cracks and holes.

Olivia: And that's pretty much what she said when I saw them together at her birthday party.

Theresa: So all of you have met him?! Where was I?

Judy: Exactly! I've been to a good number of Cali's games this season and don't recall seeing Danielle around any 20-something guys before or afterwards. In fact, the only man I usually see her talking to is Deacon Schmidt, the school's chaplain, who the two of them say she knows from having played for his club while at Stritch.

Theresa: That's true. Dennis and I saw him when we helped Danielle move into her house in Brown Deer and he mentioned that he was now at Trinity as the chaplain along with running a coaching education business on the side.

Judy mulled all of this over and went livid. "Those two! They lied to me when they said Dani and him were nothing more than friends and colleagues. I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT!"

Theresa: Knew what? Ohhhhhh......

Judy: BINGO!

Theresa: So THAT'S the Marc she was with in the hand-holding picture. How could she fall for a married man, and one so much older than her?!?!

Angela: Actually, his wife died at the end of April.

Theresa: So she's his rebound woman? That won't end well, especially if he's looking to stay single.

Olivia: Mom, Aunt Judy. Come down from the ledge. My sister is happy, truly happy, because of him. So what if he's closer to 50 than 30? All that matters is what the two of them see in one another that puts a smile on Dani's face like I've never seen before.

Dennis: Really, T. As for rebound, I don't think that's the case. Girls, didn't the two of them go to Boston sometime this summer?

Angela: Yes, the week of Independence Day. It was described by her as a friends' holiday, with a couple of soccer games and the Pops! Goes The Fourth concert being the main highlights.

Steve: Anyways, ladies, the four of us guys are going to have our chance to put Marc on the grill in a couple of weeks when we, him, Cali's Matt, and his nephew go to Madison for the Wisconsin/Northwestern football game.

Theresa: I'll trust you to get after him. Hopefully he has changed a bit since he ran the club, because my recollections of him are not positive. Leering at players, always in a snit over the play on the field, chatting up the parents, and the smugness, the arrogance, the "I'll show you" attitude. It's like everyone around him was a tool to be exploited in a quest to one-up those who chose to stand in his way.

Dennis: Don't worry. I'll make sure I get underneath the mask I know he wears to get at his true feelings about our daughter and to see if he's a better person now than he was then.

Angela and Olivia cleared the table and took care of the dishes while the others moved into the living room to continue their conversation. The two of them talked about going to Trinity's final regular-season game and taking Dani and Cali out for dinner afterwards to fill them in on what the older women had to say about their partners.

On the way home from Angela and Brent's, Olivia dropped Dani a text with an update of how the evening went.

Liv4Ever: Mom ragged Marc bad, Aunt Judy cursed you and Cali, but Angela and I defended you, as did Dad and Uncle Steve to some extent. Hope you and Marc had a good night out with the others. Will see you on Wednesday. Love ya, Deuce!

Dani's phone, laying on Marc's end table next to the lamp, chimed when her sister's text arrived.

Dani: I'll read it later. Keep going, lover.

Marc tensed up slightly as the heel of Dani's stocking-clad foot rubbed against the underside of his scrotum while he moved in and out of her. After Marc had cum and brought Dani to a climax, she tilted him over onto his back and grabbed her phone to read Olivia's message.

Dani: Looks like things didn't go perfectly well, but at least you're not going to be hunted down by anyone. Also sounds like Olivia is coming up to campus on Wednesday.

Marc: That's a slight relief. Did she mention anything that DID happen?

Dani: Mom ripped on you apparently and Aunt Judy had some harsh words about me and Cali, probably because we denied that you and I were together when she asked us at the beginning of September.

Marc: Expected both of those based on their comments to your birthday weekend Instagram album.

Dani: Well, it's not their place to get all huffy about it. They don't know you like I do. They'll eventually have to accept it, and if they don't, bite 'em.

Marc laughed at Dani's get-tough stance while she sat on his member wearing nothing but her white crotchless pantyhose. She took his laughter as an invitation to shut him up, which was done with a passion-filled kiss that led to her riding him to another orgasm. After pulling out, Marc took Dani in his arms and held her tightly as the pair wound down and allowed sleep to overtake them.


	54. Can You Spare A Minute?

A very heavy week on and off-campus for Marc began with Shelley stopping into his office before her 10am class.

Marc: I'm hoping this isn't going to be another confrontational meeting.

Shelley: No, Deacon Schmidt. I wanted to stop in because, frankly, I could use a bit of guidance on dealing with my mom's homophobia.

Marc: That's a tough one. Your dad has talked to me a couple of times about this, but he puts it in the context of her not wanting you to be gay rather than being opposed to it. Tell me more, including how you came to the understanding of your sexual orientation.

Shelley gave Marc a thorough explanation of how she figured out she was gay and how her mom reacted when she came out to her and her dad.

Shelley: My mom is a bit of a snob, and after having her two older daughters marry for love instead of social mobility, she was going to be damned if she let her youngest "waste herself on a woman who won't be able to give her the support she deserves".

Marc: I take it she doesn't mean emotional support given how you described your sisters' marriages.

Shelley: No, she doesn't. As I told my dad after returning from Spring break, her non-acceptance of me only makes me more determined to find a woman to love and to be loved by.

Marc: I know you're a commuter, which makes it difficult to gain a foothold with residential students. I commuted for my four years at UW-Milwaukee and my education quickly devolved into a 9-5 job. Get to campus, go to classes, kill time between them, go home. At least you have lacrosse as a means of extending your time on-campus and making connections around Trinity.

Shelley: I feel like living off-campus puts me behind the 8 ball when it comes to being part of the university community. I think I could make friends with some of my teammates and other athletes if I were around more, and if their first impressions of me didn't involve drugging Kelley or chasing Steph.

Marc: So you believe the die is cast for you, that what you've done over the past thirteen months or so renders you unable to reach out and connect with others, that your reputation precedes you to such an extent that no one will give you a fair shake to prove otherwise?

Shelley: In a nutshell, yes.

Marc: I have been preaching all semester the concept of redemption, of seeking forgiveness, granting forgiveness, and forgiving one's self for things done in the past. Something I have yet to mention related to redemption is that every day offers an opportunity to start fresh, to seek to become a better person than the one you were the day before. Also, every person you meet provides a clean slate on which to author a different story than what you wrote previously. Most people on this campus aren't even aware of your transgressions, and those who are see you more as rebellious than evil. Step out of your routine and try to use the several weeks of freedom you have before the Spring semester restrictions kick in to stick around campus after classes, have dinner in Albrecht, study in the coffee shop in Rincker, or show up at study table in Buuck. Let your better you shine, the one that has the capacity to love and be loved.

Shelley: I can do all that, find someone that completes me, yet still feel like I'm letting my mom down because I can't give her what she wants, which is access to a world that reaches beyond our little enclave.

Marc: It seems like I'm having to give the same speech to every lonely heart I've met this semester. Don't focus on trying to gain a specific kind of person. Focus on becoming the kind of person that can attract what you want. Having trouble getting my nephew to understand that point. He's a bit like how you describe your mom, but without any of the life experience to know how not to use people to get what he wants. He's getting better, but I worry he'll wreak havoc at some point by seeing someone he wants and not taking no for an answer.

Shelley: Kind of like my focus on Steph.

Marc: A LOT like how you treated Steph and, by association, Erin. Think about what I've said and do your best to flip the page before Fall comes to an end.

Shelley sat still for a few seconds, processing what she'd been told. She thanked Marc for his time and exited his office. Outside, she crossed paths with Kailen Short and again was slack-jawed by her. Kailen entered Marc's office and sat down across from him.

Marc: I've seen you around a bit, but not sure we've been formally introduced. You already know I'm Deacon Schmidt, so tell me about yourself.

Kailen: I'm Kailen Short. I'm a freshman majoring in psychology and a member of the Cross-Country team. I've wanted to stop in and see you before now, but between classes and practice time wasn't really there to do so.

Marc: So you know Karina Lester, I presume.

Kailen: Yes. She has been a great training mentor, helping a lot of us with tapering once the race season got underway so the legs would stay fresh.

Marc: Where are you from?

Kailen: Born in Milwaukee, lived in Whitefish Bay until middle school when my family moved to Monona Grove.

Marc: I know the husband of one of the teachers at the high school. Kelly Svoboda.

Kailen: I had her for English junior year. Funny woman and her kids are adorable.

Marc: Why did you choose Trinity?

Kailen: The options, according to my parents, were that I could go to UW-Madison or Edgewood and commute from home, or attend school in Milwaukee and live with my great-aunt Anita, who moved into our old house when we moved west. Trinity provided the best-possible education and the opportunity to continue running.

Marc connected a few of the facts Kailen shared and wondered if she was related to one of his high school classmates who used to live in Whitefish Bay and had taken a job in the Madison area a few years ago.

Marc: Your parents wouldn't happen to be named Teri and Charley, would they?

Kailen: I'm guessing you know my mom as I remember you mentioning you were a local in your chapel orientation session.

Marc: Sure do. Graduated from Riverside the same year and were in marching/concert band together, albeit on opposite ends of the instrument spectrum. You're the middle daughter, right? Your older sister was born about two weeks before my late wife's niece, if I remember correctly, and she's currently a junior at UW-Eau Claire.

Kailen: Yes. Avery is older than me by a couple of years. Back to Mom. I'm sure you have a few stories about her from back then.

Marc: Yes, but I'm not going to tell you all of them at once. I'll give you something to get her talking, however. Ask her about the year she and half the flute section were on the school's gymnastics team.

Kailen: You can't be serious! My mom is SOOOO uncoordinated.

Marc: I never said the four of them were superstars, although Aimee was decent due to her experience on the swim team. How are you handling being a commuter and an athlete?

Kailen: I really wish Mom and Dad would let me live on-campus. I feel like I'm missing out on a lot not being here beyond classes and training.

Marc: You're not the only one. The student that was leaving as you arrived, same boat. Commutes but is a spring sport athlete, so it's like a double whammy, losing out on making connections with both the residential students and your teammates since you don't start daily practice until January.

Kailen: Know anything else about her, because I kind of like the way she moves?

Marc laughed at Kailen's riff on OutKast before answering. "Someone's got a bit of game on her, doesn't she?"

Kailen: I'm not a playa, I just crush a lot!

Marc:I think I need to introduce you to the comediennes on the women's lacrosse team. They'd give you a run for your money on the puns and interjected quotes. None of them are as funny as me, however.

Kailen: I'll get a second opinion on that when I talk to my mom next. Anyways, about my question.

Marc: Her name is Shelley and she's on the women's lacrosse team with my goddaughter and her girlfriend. Lives in Whitefish Bay and, like I said, is having a hell of a time connecting with others because of the commuting thing.

Kailen: Every time I've seen her, she's had that deer-in-the-headlights look.

Marc: That's a lot better than the boring-holes-through-you look. I'm guessing she's a wee bit smitten, because you definitely can turn the world on with your smile.

Kailen: Oh God, quoting the Mary Tyler Moore Show theme song?! I guess I should thank you for the compliment, but I'm nothing special. Slightly gawky and shy as heck, which is why I haven't tried to make a move on that fine piece of humanity.

Marc: I can help you out a little based on who and what I know. Catch me on Wednesday and I should have something in mind to get you and Shelley in the same place at the same time. Good?

Kailen: Good. Thanks for the time and I'll catch you then, and I'll get after my mom about you and her knowing each other.

Marc: Tell her to COME AND SEE ME when she's in town next.

Kailen got up and left Marc's office. A few minutes later, he received a call from Matt Sherman.

Matt: Marc, there are some changes being made to the seating arrangement for the Reformation Day dinner. The Hyatt is switching the set-up from 8-person to 10-person tables in order to reduce staffing and because the group prior to ours will be using 10-person ones. That means you will have four additional seats you can fill.

Marc: When do you need an answer for the extra four?

Matt: No later than Wednesday at noon since we have to give them a hard count by the end of the day.

Marc: I'll ask about and have you my additions by then.

Matt: Good. Ready for your trial at the end of the week?

Marc: As ready as I can be. Hopefully Judge Peralta rules in favor of our limiting their case to the claims made in the challenge. IF they somehow win, it might be easier to have the court garnish my Trinity salary to pay them what is due than my writing them a check. I've got the proceeds from Danielle's life insurance to get me by for a while.

Matt: We can take that up when or if it becomes necessary. Talk to you Wednesday.

Marc finished his call with Matt, then left his office to go to Siebert for his meeting with the Super Six.

**********

Back in his office, Marc worked to fill in the open seats for Saturday night, having gotten Brad to turn his maybe in to a yes, which left three spots available. First, he called Jamie to check on her using the +1 on her invitation.

Marc: Jamie, it's Marc. Matt Sherman has given us a few extra seats for the dinner on Saturday night and I am calling to see if you're planning to cash in the +1 on your invite.

Jamie: This probably isn't the occasion for me to bring a random person and subject them to the nosiness of the church's busybodies.

Marc: Totally get you. I had to make that same claim to Paul so he would designate Dani as TLU staff and not my +1. What's the scenario for Wednesday?

Jamie: We win, we're 2nd, get the bye, and play at home on the 30th. Lose and we're probably 3rd and play at home on Saturday afternoon.

Marc: Best of luck if I don't see or speak to you before then. Got a few more calls to make to fill in the rest of my table and the two extras to sprinkle around the room.

Marc hung up with Jamie and made his next call.

Marc: Abby, it's Deacon Schmidt. The synod is giving us a couple extra seats for Saturday night's Reformation Day dinner and I was wondering if you wanted to attend.

Abby: Yes! Will I be at your table or elsewhere?

Marc: Right now, that's undecided. It depends on who the extras are. My preference is to have you with a group of others where you can share about residence hall ministry and what we're doing at Trinity to make it a vital part of students' on-campus experience. I could also have you take one of the two extra seats at my table as Katelyn will be there with her family, but I don't know what they know about the two of you.

Abby: She said she was going to broach the subject with her parents over Fall break, but I haven't asked her if she did.

Marc: I'll send a final list to all of you so you're able to coordinate transportation with one another and know if you're with me or being sent out to the masses to spread the Good Word of our ministry. I'm going to suggest to Alyssa that she try to secure one of the campus vans so most if not all of you can travel together.

Abby: Looking forward to it and thanks for thinking of me.

Marc wrapped up the call and moved down his list.

Marc: Liz, it's Deacon Schmidt. Are you free on Saturday night to attend the synod's Reformation Day dinner, and if so would you want to go?

Liz: Yes and yes. Anything I need to know beforehand?

Marc: As you know, Karina will be there as well. I'm hoping the two of you can shine a light on how campus ministry can have an impact on decision-making in the university based on your roles in the SGA, as you're in effect the organization's vice-president and Karina represents PMA as well as the interests of student-athletes and African-American students. I am hoping Matt can send me a detailed list of who will be where among the 10 I'm spreading out among the other attendees. I'll send out something on Wednesday morning I expect since I'll be off-campus Thursday and Friday for personal reasons.

Liz: I'll be waiting for it. Thank you for this opportunity.

Marc: You're welcome.

With two spots left to fill, Marc pondered who he wanted to ask. Looking over the list he had, there was one glaring omission that he was going to correct with the first of those.

Marc: Matty Boy, it's your good ol' Uncle Marc.

Matt: To what do I owe the honor of getting this phone call?

Marc: I was going over our campus' list of attendees for Saturday night's Reformation Day dinner at the Hyatt and saw I had made a major mistake. Erin, Steph, Dani, and Cali were on it, but you weren't. With the synod giving Trinity a few extra seats due to changes in the venue's set-up of the event, I thought I should correct that error. Do you want to go with us and a host of others to the dinner on Saturday?

Matt: I thought you didn't want me riding your coattails.

Marc: Son, this isn't riding my coattails. This is similar to what I and the rest of the family did at the Homecoming dance, give you your props as part of us.

Matt: Why should I say yes?

Marc: I could make it worth your while. Seems you have an admirer up on Augsburg 3. Both she and her roommate have asked Erin and Steph about you, and the roommate asked my opinion as well. Maybe I'll invite her to join us and give you a chance to see if you have any interest.

Matt: You said that you weren't going to help me get women. What changed?

Marc: Again, this isn't me using my power or skills to get you something. This is me linking up someone who already has some level of interest in you. What happens from there is totally up to the two of you.

Matt: You've won me. Getting to see some of your students looking fine like at the Homecoming dance will be fun.

Marc: The only two people at our table who will available are Julie, Erin and Steph's teammate, and the 9th-grade sister of one of the others, so you might want to cool the scoping jets.

Matt: OK. I promise I'll be on my best and most gentlemanly behavior.

Marc: Another thing I wanted to ask you. I've been invited by the men in Dani's family to join them for a football game in Madison in a couple of weeks. The other Matt is going and I plan to ask Ben, Dawson's dad. Would you want to join us?

Matt: Count me in!

Marc: So that's settled. How was Fall break with Lindsey and Emily?

Matt: A LOT better than I was expecting. They knew my shtick, but didn't have the built-in animosity toward me like Erin and Steph do. I'm also glad I went to them on my own about traveling together instead of having you or Erin step in and do it for me.

Marc: Sounds like you might have made a couple of friends and found some competition for Wittenberg's Joke-Off on November 23rd.

Matt: Not sure they'll be competition. I'm thinking maybe the three of us and Erin can do a Snow Belt version of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour with Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall, Ron White, and Larry the Cable Guy.

Marc: I've got one more call to make before I leave for home. Be good, and if you can't be good, be careful, and if you can't be careful, don't name it after me.

Matt: Gotcha. See you Wednesday at the soccer game?

Marc: Yep.

Marc called Julie Koerner and got her voicemail. He left a message and asked her to visit his office tomorrow, then packed up and left campus for the day.


	55. The Knife's Edge

Marc's meeting with Julie Koerner on Tuesday was edifying for the both of them, as she shared about her religious journey as the youngest of three daughters (she has a younger brother who is a high school sophomore) and with a father who is the principal of Concordia Seminary's on-campus high school, where all four Koerner siblings are or had been students. She reiterated the hypocrisy she saw in the church, where everyone looks and acts pious on Sunday mornings but lives differently during the week. Several examples of this were shared with the chaplain and how her skepticism of religious education came to be founded.

Julie: I stuck with attending Trinity because Concordia-Wisconsin promised to fund Luther's Promise for all who applied and were accepted for admission prior to the merger with CUAA, and because I wanted to see if a more liberal environment would cure me of my ambivalence to what I had been taught growing up.

Marc: The first thing you'll learn about the ELCA if you haven't yet is that no one pretends to be holier-than-thou. Well, maybe the old goats still do, but they're past the point where they can act on those ideas. Now, they just pass judgment on the church's future believing they should maintain the traditions and values they were taught 40, 50 years ago. On a campus like this, a lot of the same ideas and practices common to state and independent private schools exist, and there are fights among the various governing bodies as to how to balance our being a sectarian university, our place in a major metropolitan area, and our desire to be a rigorous academic institution.

Julie: Sort of how SLU brands itself as a place of virtue but in reality gets the same set of students as UMSL or Mizzou?

Marc: Pretty much. Marquette and UW-Milwaukee are pretty comparable to your description. Only difference between the two is where they get their students from. UWM's are heavily local, while Marquette pushes hard in other cities with Jesuit universities, like Chicago and St. Louis.

Julie: Does the ELCA do anything special to celebrate Reformation Sunday outside of worship?

Marc: The Greater Milwaukee Synod hosts a dinner the previous evening. Last year, it was held at the Melanchthon Center on-campus. This year's is at the Hyatt Regency downtown, a perk procured as a result of Milwaukee hosting the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in August. I get a certain complement of seats and just was given a few extras by the synod office. I still have one left at my table. Are you interested in going?

Julie: I don't know. Will I know anyone who's with you?

Marc: I think so. Erin's roommate Cali and her boyfriend, Coach Dillon from women's soccer, Katelyn Rollins who is on the women's volleyball team. Oh, and my goofy nephew.

Julie: Not sure I like the sound of that.

Marc: Don't worry. Having Cali and her Matt with us will help, and if it doesn't I always have ways of bringing him back to reality. He so much wants to emulate me but hasn't learned yet the how of what I do, only the end result.

Julie: I take it Erin and Steph will be there as well.

Marc: Yes, and several of your floormates. Cali, Katelyn, Julie Jacobsen and Christen Prince, Steph's roommate Alyssa. I'm having them placed at other tables so they can engage with the synod faithful and spread the word about what we're doing at Trinity.

Julie: I'm sold. Dress code?

Marc: Semi-formal. A little more liberal than you might be used to at LCMS events, but still slightly on the conservative side. Stick with your natural style as well and don't try to be someone you really aren't. I've already learned haters gonna hate no matter what you do. If you have questions about an outfit's appropriateness, ask one of the others on your floor who went to last year's dinner, those being Erin, Steph, Alyssa, and Julie.

Julie tried to stifle a giggle over Marc's "haters gonna hate" line, but couldn't.

Marc: I made you laugh, which means I've done my job for the day.

Julie: I better get going to class.

Marc: Glad you stopped in. I'll send an email to everyone with details for Saturday.

**********

Wednesday marked the final day of the regular season for women's soccer, men's soccer, and women's volleyball, with all three playing for either a playoff berth (men's and women's soccer) or playoff positioning (volleyball). Jamie's team had already secured a home match to open the NACC tournament, but a win tonight at Illinois Tech would give the Thunder a first-round bye and a home match against the highest remaining seed of the two quarterfinal winners next Wednesday evening. Down in Rockford, the men's soccer team would be playing the Regents in what amounted to a play-in game, as both teams sat 5-4-1 on the conference season. Should a tie occur, a win by Marian over Lakeland would see them jump both Trinity and Rockford for the 6th and final playoff position. Meanwhile, the women's soccer team needed to beat Alverno and then get some help (a Dominican win over Concordia-Chicago or an Edgewood loss or draw against Wisconsin Lutheran) to eke out the last spot in the field and a presumed first-round game on Sunday at Dominican.

**********

Following Lunch Bunch, Marc and Alyssa met in his office to put together the logistics for Saturday night as well as office coverage for Thursday and Friday.

Marc: The school will have a total of twenty people attending the Reformation Day dinner. Of those, 14 of them will be on-campus prior to the event. I've secured a pair of vans from the university's fleet to transport everyone from here to there. Will you take charge of one of them and ask Abby or Brad to drive the second?

Alyssa: Yes. Are you planning to decide who's with who or will that be determined spur-of-the-moment?

Marc: I think it makes more sense to plan out as much as possible, so I'll divide up the on-campus students. Would you rather have it be the already-bonded-and-close together or should I mix it up?

Alyssa: Play with both, I'd say. What's the split when it comes to your table and the others?

Marc: My table is me, Dani, Cali, her Matt, my Matt, Katelyn and her family, and Julie Koerner, who is on the women's lacrosse team and lives on your floor. The ones being spread-out are you, Erin, Steph, Julie Jacobsen, Christen, Coach Krueger, Abby, Brad, Liz, and Karina.

Alyssa: Looks like we're good from our end. When the group gets your email, I can work on coordinating everyone. What's the office schedule for the days you'll be gone?

Marc: I have Brad, Abby, and Julie covering what they can in the afternoons. Jamie will take care of the mornings and the office will be closed when none of those three are available, which I don't think will be very much.

Alyssa: Any responses yet for Christmas Eve service?

Marc: A couple, but I didn't request for students and staff to contact me ahead of Monday evening's introductory meeting in Bonhoeffer.

Alyssa: Practice calls, Marc. I'll check my email when I get back and start working with the others to have everything settled before Friday afternoon.

Alyssa departed Luther and went to Buuck to meet up with the hockey team for the trip up to the Ozaukee Ice Center. Marc pulled together his email for the students going on Saturday night, then sent it out before walking over to Niemoller for the Trinity/Alverno women's soccer game.

From: mschmidt  
To: anorman, ematheson, slafleur, jjacobsen, cprince, bgustafson, adavidson, krollins, jkoerner, cfarmer, mbenning, molson, eedwards, klester  
Subject: Reformation Day Dinner

My office has reserved two vans from the university to transport you to and from the Hyatt Regency on Saturday night. Alyssa is handling the logistics for the evening and will be in touch with you respective to that. Below is the table and van breakdown.

Van 1: Alyssa, Erin, Steph, Matt O., Julie K., Karina, Liz  
Van 2: Abby, Brad, Katelyn, Julie J., Christen, Cali, Matt B.

Chaplain's Table: Deacon Schmidt, Coach Dillon, Cali/Matt, Katelyn and her family (4), Matt Olson, Julie Koerner.

Spread-out (table captains): Alyssa (Rev. Belding), Erin (Former Bp. Jeff Baldwin), Steph (Deacon Laura Capshaw), Julie Jacobsen (Rev. Brad Brewster), Christen (Rev. John Sippula), Abby (Rev. Lisa Burns), Brad (Rev. Matt Sherman), Liz (Chairman Strasser), Karina (Bishop Emerson), Coach Krueger (Rev. Alex Bailey).

Any questions, take them up with Alyssa as I'll be off-campus tomorrow and Friday due to court proceedings dealing with Danielle's trust.

Deacon Marc

**********

Warm-ups at Niemoller Field were nearing completion ahead of the Thunder women's soccer team's home finale against Alverno College. The Inferno entered the match at 6-11 and 1-9 in the NACC, with their sole win coming at home against Lakeland on October 5th. Tori and Cameron were set up on the grassy knoll to provide coverage of the match, with Tori on commentary and video and Cameron providing updates from the Edgewood/Wisconsin Lutheran and Dominican/Concordia-Chicago matches. Matt Benning and Matt Olson were holding down seats in the bleachers for the rest of their mini-clan when Angela and Olivia came over to them.

Angela (to Matt B.): Can my sister and I sit with you?

Matt B.: Sure, Angela. Who's got the kids today?

Angela: Brent's mom was willing to sit with them so Olivia and I could come to the game and go out to dinner with Dani and Cali afterwards.

Matt B.: Do they know you're here?

Olivia: No. I texted Dani after I left Angela's place on Saturday night that I'd see her today but didn't say when or where.

Erin, Steph, Marc, and Steve Farmer came up into the stands and sat down next to the two Matts. Angela greeted Marc, then introduced herself to Erin and Steph.

Erin: Is this a social visit or an attempt to put XP on the rack under the guise of coming to see Dani and Cali?

Angela: Aren't you the little firecracker! It's both. Olivia and I plan to pull out all the stops to get our mom and Aunt Judy to back off of Dani and respect her choice of being with Marc. By the way, you and Steph are as perfect up close as you were in the picture from the North Carolina wedding that sis has in her locket.

Steph: Thank you. That weekend I think cemented a few things between the two of us, Marc and Dani, and the two of us and her. She was such a help in getting us ready for that day and in showing us what life could look like if her and Marc got together.

Olivia: Marc, you're the soccer whiz among all of us here. Size up the teams.

Marc: Alverno is awful and always has been. Wish they'd be able to keep a coach and bring in players that will stay from one year to the next. Should be a walk in the park, which is why I'm glad Trinity has them today.

Steve: They're still in playoff contention, right?

Marc: Yes, but they need help from either Wisconsin Lutheran or Dominican to get one of the last two spots. Do any of you have a means of tracking those two matches?

Matt B.: I can probably do it if you tell me where to go.

Marc gave Matt the websites for Concordia-Chicago and Edgewood, then told him where to click to get real-time stats from each of them.

Matt O. (to Angela): Looking at you, I'm pretty sure you're not single. I asked this on Dani's Instagram page and never heard back from her or you. Do you have any other sisters?

Angela: Marc, I take it this is the goofy nephew she said you have to keep on a leash.

Marc: In the flesh.

Matt O.: Matt Olson, at your service.

Angela: To answer your question, the one sister between Olivia and I is free, but like 10 years older than you. As for Liv, she's got a man.

Matt O.: What's her man got to do with me?!

Marc buried his head in his hands trying not to laugh, but was gone as was Erin. Steph didn't get the reference being Canadian.

Angela: I see you take after your uncle with the pop culture comebacks and references.

Marc: He learned from the best, I guess.

Trinity was up 4-0 on the Inferno after 21 minutes, with Carli already securing a hat trick. Sara chose to leave her in the match after making several substitutions because she wanted to give the junior the full ninety to amass as many goals and points as possible in the hopes of getting her onto one of the league's all-conference teams. Goals from Lexi (her second), Cali, Jordan, and Makenna gave the Thunder an 8-0 lead at halftime.

Matt B.: The other two matches are scoreless at the half. What results do we need?

Marc: Edgewood needs to not win, so the draw there is fine. Concordia-Chicago has to lose, because a draw there will put CUC in a tie with Trinity for the last playoff spot and the Cougars will get it due to beating Trinity earlier in the season. We only need one of those two to happen, not both. Well, both would be great, but not necessary.

As the second half went along, Angela and Olivia asked Marc about his mix of jobs and his thoughts about the future with Dani.

Marc: As much as I want to say to prepare for an addition to your family, I have to get past the rest of this week first. I'm not sure if Dani told you, but my late wife's brother has contested her trust saying that I defrauded its beneficiaries by delaying the reporting of income from the Urban Coaching Project and giving Erin a stake in the company. If we win, I can start planning for the future, one with Dani as my long-term partner. If the trust gets voided, my financial position will change a good bit and settling the claim might force me to sell UCI's assets to Trinity. She's aware of all of this, which is why the two of us have been cautious about being out as a couple except around our inner circles.

Olivia: Sounds like it's just a money thing. Shouldn't affect you and her.

Marc: If only it were that simple. The wife of my brother-in-law has a theory about my letting Danielle pass away to cover up infidelity on my part with your sister. I don't want her dragged into this, because it would call into question my hiring her at UCP and could get me stripped of being trustee under the belief that she would have filed for divorce if she had known about my relationship with Dani.

Angela: Can I say that I like you, if for no other reason than how you make my sister feel? No one, and I repeat NO ONE, has been able to make her feel as good about herself as you have.

Marc: She's something else, and I feel like I'm getting the better end of the deal.

Olivia: S*** are you smooth! Maybe my husband could learn a thing or two from you.

Marc: Comes with the territory as someone closer to AARP membership than using a fake ID to get into bars.

Steve: How old are you, Marc?

Marc: 47. You're probably in the same ballpark.

Steve :Close. 45.

Matt B.: Edgewood is up 2-0, Dominican and CUC still tied. Both games have about 15 minutes left.

Marc: Not good.

With eight minutes left, and the score 13-0, Sara brought Lexi and Cali off the field, replacing them with Jordan and Kim. One last goal from Carli, her sixth of the match, made the final score Trinity 14 Alverno 0. After shaking hands with the Inferno, the Thunder players came over to the grandstand and gave the crowd a round of applause. Tori had come down to the field with Cameron to do a couple of interviews and to pass along the results from the two matches of interest.

Cameron (to Tori): Edgewood 3, Wisconsin Lutheran 0, and Concordia-Chicago 2 Dominican 2 heading to overtime.

Tori gave an update to the players around her while Cameron continued to watch the match tracker. Cali, Lexi, Jordan, and Amber held hands hoping to hear the result they wanted. Dani and Marc were talking along the rail when she noticed her two sisters coming up behind him.

Dani: ANG! LIV! I know you said you'd see me today, but never said when. So, did Mr. Slick talk your ear off?

Angela: A little, but I think we learned a good bit about him just by letting him chatter. Also, you didn't warn me hard enough about Matty Boy. Dude tried to pick up Liv using an old rap line after I told him she was taken.

Dani: Silly boy. At least I have the broken-in model and am not dealing with the puppy stupids of a college freshman.

Cameron passed along to the small group the final from the one match left which affected Trinity's playoff hopes. "Concordia-Chicago scored in the 108th minute to win, 3-2."

The four players heard the result and understood what it meant, then wrapped their arms around one another in comfort and sympathy. Matt Benning came down from the bleachers and filled Marc and Dani in on the just-completed match.

Matt B.: CUC 3, Dominican 2.

Marc: Rats. The two teams Trinity let off the hook at home ended up beating them out for the final playoff spots.

Dani: Something to take into next year. I will make sure that I remind the players in preseason to remember how they felt after this game and do what needs to be done so it doesn't happen at the end of next season.

Everyone began exiting Niemoller Field. Matt consoled Cali when she came up to him outside the south gate, while Cameron was trying to keep Lexi's spirits up as they walked toward Buuck together. Dani worked out plans for tomorrow with Marc and said she'd pick up Erin and Steph on her way to the courthouse. The pair hugged tightly with her kissing his cheek before she and her sisters followed the rest of the team to the athletic center.


	56. A Matter Of Trust

On the fourth floor of the Milwaukee County Courthouse, Roger and Julie Wolff, along with their lawyer Jack McPherson, were chatting while waiting for their opposition to arrive.

Jack: This isn't going to be an easy case to win given what Marc tried to get the court to do in his response to your challenge. I really don't know anything about the judge we drew, but I'm hoping she'll give us a chance to lay out the list of questionable actions he took in the six weeks or so between Danielle's diagnosis and her death.

Roger: I just want to get to the bottom of how she went from looking fine at Easter to dead in under a week, and whether Marc had anything to do with it. Julie tried to get a TRO against him ending life support because she knew my sister was suspicious about him and whether he was stepping out on her. I want us to be able to make that challenge and have him answer it. The money would be nice, but getting an admission of cheating on her is what I want most.

Jack: I'll give it my best shot.

Marc and Bryan Stewart exited the elevator and walked toward Judge Peralta's courtroom. Bryan was surprised to see his brother-in-law standing with the Wolffs and asked him to take a short jaunt while everyone was still waiting.

Bryan: Angela didn't tell me you were representing Roger and Julie.

Jack: She didn't know they contacted me. Julie felt they needed someone who had experience before circuit court judges in the larger counties of the state. I've tried only one case in Milwaukee before today, but the several I've done in Madison and my reputation in the Janesville courts I guess was enough of an upgrade for them to seek me out.

Bryan: On the facts of the matter, they are going to have a hard time convincing the judge that there was any deliberate intent to defraud them or the other heirs. They seem to be putting the cart before the horse in stating that Marc had a fiduciary duty to protect Danielle's assets prior to her death rather than utilize them if necessary in her treatment.

Jack: I think they grasp that part of it, but getting a blow-by-blow of the six weeks between her diagnosis and her death, especially how she went from being on-the-mend when they last saw her to gone in three or four days, is Roger's main purpose of bringing the challenge. If he were risking his piece of the pie to get that closure, I don't think we'd be here.

Bryan: I guess I wish you and them the best of luck in getting out of today and tomorrow what you're seeking. I should get back to Marc and touch base with the rest of our team.

Jack and Bryan shook hands before returning to their clients. When they got back to where Judge Peralta's courtroom was located, Bryan saw that Kathy, Amber, and Dr. McManus had arrived. With everyone involved in the case on-hand, the two sides walked into the courtroom and took their places at the front. Shortly before 9am, Dani, Erin, and Steph made their way through the courthouse and got to the courtroom as the bailiff was announcing the arrival of the trial's arbiter.

Bailiff: All Rise! Circuit Court Branch 45 is now in session, the Honorable Laura Granger Peralta presiding.

Laura Granger Peralta: You may be seated. Before me today is the case of Wolff vs. Estate of Danielle Schmidt. May counsel for both sides introduce yourselves to the court?

Jack: Jack McPherson, representing Roger Wolff.

Dr. McManus: Jerald McManus, representing Marc Schmidt, Trustee of the Estate of Danielle Schmidt.

Amber: Amber Sasser, representing Marc Schmidt as per his role as Executive Director of the Urban Coaching Project.

Laura Granger Peralta: I see in the respondent's response to the petitioner's original filing that he is seeking a limit on the grounds by which the petitioner may challenge the trust. Will the respondent state their position?

Dr. McManus: It is our belief that the petitioner plans to provide multiple theories by which the Trustee can be found to have failed in his fiduciary duty to him and the other heirs of Danielle Schmidt's estate. We would like him to be limited to those areas which were listed in his original filing.

Laura Granger Peralta: Petitioner's response?

Jack: As there are a number of interconnected parts associated with the claims of fraud, it is our belief that Mr. Wolff should not be hindered from following the evidence wherever it may lead nor be restricted in providing reasonable conclusions related to Mr.Schmidt's conduct as Trustee.

Laura Granger Peralta: I'm loathe to allow a fishing expedition in search of fraudulent actions, but I will allow for a slight bit of leeway IF the petitioner is able to provide a connection to one of the claims made in the original filing. If there are no other motions, we will begin with opening statements.

Amber: Your Honor, we move to exclude non-germane witnesses from testifying, as their remarks would only seek to poison the pool related to the facts in this matter.

Laura Granger Peralta: Care to explain the issues underlying your motion?

Amber: Based on actions taken by persons who are not part of these proceedings, we contend that the petitioner will attempt to introduce claims of personal turpitude against the Trustee, which will undoubtedly muddy the waters between his actions on behalf of the trust and his actions as a private citizen.

Laura Granger Peralta: Response from the petitioner?

Jack: Again, the respondent is seeking to restrict my client's ability to prove the claims made in the challenge. More so, the respondent is attempting to block the airing of grievances by the petitioner on behalf of the testator which go to the duplicity of the Trustee's actions that defrauded him and the trust's other heirs.

Laura Granger Peralta: I will not allow this trial to turn into a circus of mudslinging between the two sides. Therefore, I agree to the respondent's motion and will exclude from these proceedings testimony from witnesses not directly involved. With that, the petitioner may begin its opening statement.

Jack: Thank you, Your Honor. Roger Wolff, brother of the late Danielle Schmidt and a named heir in her trust, contends that her husband, who doubles as the Trustee of her estate, deliberately withheld the claiming of income from the Urban Coaching Project to deny my client the full measure of his inheritance from his sister's trust. We plan to prove that he not only withheld said income, but also took other actions which denied my client the ability to seek a portion of his sister's interest in the Urban Coaching Project, specifically the unnecessary increase in expenses and the dividing of ownership in UCP between himself and another individual. We ask this court to declare the trust null and void and thus she died intestate. Furthermore, we ask that the Trustee be found guilty of emotional fraud against the testator and be forced to contribute to her estate an appropriate amount to make the heirs whole, as though she were separated from the Trustee at the time of her death.

Laura Granger Peralta: Does the respondent wish to make an opening statement at this time?

Dr. McManus: We will postpone our opening statement until after the petitioner rests his case.

Laura Granger Peralta: Very well. The petitioner may begin presenting its case.

Jack began by submitting into evidence bank records from Marc and Danielle's joint checking account, noting a steady stream of income up until February, at which time Marc's monthly contribution decreased by approximately $700. That decrease continued in March and April, after which half the account's proceeds were shepherded away into the reserved account for Danielle's trust. Jack pointed out the spikes in income which came in June, coinciding with Marc receiving the pay out of Danielle's life insurance, and August, when a large payment from the Urban Coaching Project was deposited. He then asked a series of hypothetical questions in an attempt to get Marc's side to offer explanations for the inconsistencies. Dr. McManus reminded the judge and his adversary that the burden of proof was on the petitioner to prove their claims true and that the respondent didn't carry the burden to prove them false. Jack continued to submit into evidence documents pertaining to Marc's finances as well as those of the trust and the Urban Coaching Project. Again, Marc's team declined to provide an explanation of what Jack was supposing. With no luck in getting free information from Marc, he asked for a recess until 1pm, when he planned to put Roger on the witness stand.

**********

Jack: Roger, tell the court your impressions of your sister's marriage with Marc.

Amber: Objection. Counsel is attempting an end-run around Your Honor's previous decisions regarding the introduction of non-germane testimony and the expansion of their claims to include alternate theories of malfeasance.

Judge Peralta: Objection overruled. The witness may answer the question, but counsel, don't go too far afield with this line of inquiry.

Roger: Danielle and Marc had very much a business-like marriage. Each of them had their own interests, passions, and thoughts about what was best for the two of them. Marc had been known in the past to consider my sister someone he could mold into a professional spouse to be a partner in his attempt to amass wealth, notoriety, and admiration. I don't believe Marc ever truly loved her, but loved what she could bring to the table to make him look better to the outside world.

Jack: When Danielle was diagnosed with her brain tumor, did you or your sister offer to visit her in Milwaukee?

Roger: Yes, both of us as well as my niece, Sydney. We were advised by Danielle that we should wait until after her first follow-up appointment as her condition could swing wildly from one day to the next.

Jack: Do you know if Marc had anything to do with that decision?

Roger: I would reckon so, as she told my wife she was worried he would seek conservatorship if she attempted to reach out too much beyond him.

Amber: Objection. Hearsay.

Jack: We can always have her take the stand and confirm what was said to her by Danielle.

Amber: Which again would go against Your Honor's ruling concerning non-germane witnesses.

Judge Peralta: Counsel, you can't have it both ways. Either withdraw your objection and allow the witness to testify to their conversation or I will have to give the petitioner the opportunity to respond to my ruling by calling Mrs. Wolff.

Amber: Respondent withdraws its objection.

Jack: With respect to her final wishes, did Danielle mention what she had planned to leave to you?

Roger: She said that she was planning to leave my sister and I 10% of her trust along with educational funds for Sydney and, after title transfers, a vehicle for my nephew Zach. This was not including a gift of $10,000 from her so Julie and I could regain full ownership of the family home.

Jack: Is that what you found listed for yourself in the trust?

Roger: No. I was left approximately 8.33% of the trust, following a series of bequests to her and Marc's goddaughter, Marc's niece and nephew, and Zach.

Jack: As was submitted into evidence earlier, the projected value of your sister's trust should have been a good bit higher than it was, and that the Trustee's postponing receipt of income from the Urban Coaching Project plus increased expenses for the venture deprived it of reaching its highest-possible value. That is the primary claim you're bringing against the Trustee, that he failed in his fiduciary duty to provide a complete inventory of assets and to fully fund the trust as spouse of the testator, correct?

Roger: That is correct.

Jack: No further questions, but I reserve the right to recall this witness.

Judge Peralta: Respondent?

Amber: No questions of this witness.

Judge Peralta: Witness may step down. Petitioner, you may call your next witness.

Jack: I call Danielle Dillon to the stand.

Marc cringed, then looked at his partner with sympathetic eyes. Dani rose from the gallery and walked up to the witness stand. After being sworn in, she took her seat and Jack began his questioning.

Jack: Will you state your name for the record and your relationship with the Trustee?

Dani: My name is Danielle Dillon and I am program assistant for the Urban Coaching Institute at Trinity Lutheran University, successor organization to the Urban Coaching Project founded by Mr. Schmidt. Prior to that, I played for the Milwaukee University Soccer Collective, which Mr. Schmidt managed.

Jack: Tell the court how you came to be hired by UCP.

Dani explained her re-acquaintance with Marc at Trinity and him learning that she had taken his coaching module while an intermediate school teacher, which led to him inviting her to accompany him to the United Soccer Coaches convention to help promote it. She then provided a run-down of the week following the convention and Marc's offer of employment to help him get out from under the overwhelming interest in UCP.

Dani: The two of us met for brunch on January 27th and he offered me a contract to serve as program assistant with opportunity for advancement based on production and experience.

Jack: Your Honor, we do not have a copy of that contract to determine if its components are in line with those of similarly-situated employees in the field.

Judge Peralta: Does the respondent have a copy of Ms. Dillon's contract with them that can be given to the petitioner?

Amber: Yes, we do.

Amber handed Jack a copy of Dani's contract, which he skimmed over briefly.

Jack: It is our contention that part of the Trustee's defrauding of my client came from hiring you to work for the Urban Coaching Project, thereby unnecessarily increasing expenses and reducing income to his and his wife's joint account. Would you say that your position is integral to the existence of UCP?

Amber: Objection. Counsel has not deemed the witness qualified in the area of sports business management.

Judge Peralta: Objection sustained.

Jack: Moving on. Did Mr. Schmidt inform you of plans concerning the future of UCP between the dates of March 8th, when the testator was diagnosed with her brain tumor, and March 15th, when he met with Ms. O'Leary and Ms. Sasser to restructure the organization?

Dani thought about it and recalled her meeting with him and Wil at the Dewey Center on the Monday after Danielle's diagnosis, which would have been the 11th.

Dani: Yes.

Jack: No further questions, but I reserve the right to recall this witness.

Judge Peralta: Respondent, your witness.

Dr. McManus: No questions for this witness at the present time, but we reserve the right to recall her. Your Honor, given the hour and Petitioner's need to digest the documents we provided him a short while ago, I request a recess until 9am tomorrow morning.

Judge Peralta: Any objection from Petitioner's counsel?

Jack: No.

Judge Peralta: This court stands in recess until 9am tomorrow morning.

**********

Happy Hour at the Water Street Brewery was where Marc and his entourage chose to debrief from the day's court session.

Dr. McManus: Their side picked up a major foothold at the end of the session by asking about the time between the diagnosis and your meeting with Kathy and Amber.

Marc: Dani, I don't remember us talking about UCP's future before I met with my business team. When did I do it?

Dani: When we met with Wil on the Monday of Spring break at the Dewey Center. You didn't say what you were planning to do, just that you were going to be meeting with them to address the organization's finances and structure ahead of your presentations before Faculty Senate and the Board of Trustees regarding approval for the institute.

Dr. McManus: Fill me in on this meeting.

Marc: I had an appointment with my therapist on March 11th and, instead of going from home to campus to the appointment, I telecommuted from the Dewey Center in the morning. The Wil mentioned is a friend of Dani's who was a counseling intern at the facility before graduating from UWM with his MA and going into private practice. I asked him to meet with the two of us to mediate a conversation I wanted to have with her about our collective future should Danielle not beat the tumor.

Dr. McManus: So your meeting was more or less a counseling session, albeit not official. Anything said in there is protected by Doctor/Patient privilege. We may be able to get her mention stricken from the record if Wil were to take the stand and attest to the meeting on the 11th, as it would be an employee of the facility meeting at the facility with one of its clients.

Amber: How do you pull THAT off, since presence of a third party is supposed to negate privilege?

Dawson: I think I know. Saw this on an episode of "Law and Order". In a group therapy setting, the privilege radiates from the therapist to all members, meaning that anything said by one person to another in the group is covered by the privilege.

Dr. McManus: Score one for the couch potato. You're right. Dani is theoretically protected by the privilege and cannot be required to divulge what was discussed in their "couple's session" with Wil.

Dani: I'm going to step out and give Wil a call to see when he might be able to testify tomorrow.

Marc: So Jerry, why did Jack ask about any conversations between the two of us during that week gap between the diagnosis and the restructuring?

Dr. McManus: This was the end-run all of us were arguing against during pretrial motions. If you had given Dani some specifics about your plans for the organization before finalizing them with Kathy and Amber, she could be considered a party to the alleged fraud, which would then give him the ability to delve into your relationship with her and thereby bring in the alternate theory of infidelity.

Erin: Where are we in terms of ahead/behind on the judge's scoreboard?

Dr. McManus: Dani's admission was a sizable hit because Jack now has a means by which to inquire further about her and Marc's past without facing objections from our side since he will be able to tie the non-germane questions to one of the claims in the initial filing. Outside of that, we're in great shape. Marc's testimony tomorrow should slam the door on them, but first I would hope we could get Wil on the stand to wipe their points off the board under Doctor/Patient privilege.

Bryan: Do you plan to have me testify as to original intent?

Dr. McManus: Only if we need to refute the why of Marc's behavior relative to the trust itself. Otherwise, there's no need since, as I've said before, their side has the burden of proof.

Dani returned from her call with Wil. "He said he'd be at the courthouse by the start of proceedings tomorrow."

Dr. McManus: Great. So here's the game plan I'm going with. It's a bit of a gamble, but I think it ends the case quicker since they would lose whatever ground they believe has been established. Jack will still be presenting his case when we open the session. He can either move forward with another witness, recall Danielle, or rest his case. If he does the second and starts asking for specifics, you give him the time, date, and location of your conversation with Marc and Wil, introducing him as a therapist and the meeting being the equivalent of a counseling session, meaning you can refuse to answer questions due to privilege. He goes back to square one and probably seeks to bring the ownership split into play. There isn't a real witness he can call outside of Amber who can discuss it, so it might be his doing the same thing he did at the start, which was introducing evidence and expounding on it. If he's feeling it, he might call Wil and try to defeat the privilege through his personal relationship to Danielle, thus bringing in "presence of a third party" to negate it. If that happens, is there an ace up someone's sleeve to turn it back in our favor?

Marc: I have one. Wil and I have a relationship built upon professional privilege. I tell him things protected by therapist/client privilege and he opens up to me about things in his personal life protected by Pastor/Penitent privilege.

Dr. McManus rubbed his hands together and gave of a slightly evil chuckle. "With everything in this case focused on you as Trustee and the inner workings of UCP, I didn't take into account that you're also a man of the cloth, making almost any conversation you have with anyone immune from questioning."

Amber: Can we play that card?

Dr. McManus: Yes, but I don't think we'll need to. Stay on defense, force them to make the case, which won't happen if we get the meeting from March 11th covered by privilege.

Kathy: Anything I need to be ready for?

Amber: I'd say have the books ready and your notes from March 15th on-hand if I need to put you on the stands to beat back the income postponement as fraud.

Marc got a text from Danielle's friend, Pam Rodgers, asking about the trial and when they'd be in session tomorrow. He wrote her back with an update and the schedule for Day Two.

Marc: One of Danielle's friends just texted me asking about tomorrow's schedule. Since tomorrow makes six months since her passing, I'm guessing she gave Pam some final words to distribute to several of us, things she didn't know if she'd have a chance to say given her condition after the first couple of weeks on the oral chemo.

Dr. McManus: I'm hoping we won't have to go into the afternoon, that once they rest, we can move for dismissal. Failing that, we'll only go after those areas of the complaint that have been somewhat proven, then put Judge Peralta in the position of having to decide if their side met their burden. I'm out. See everyone tomorrow.

Dr. McManus threw down a twenty to cover his drinks and a decent tip before leaving. Bryan was the next to go, followed by Dawson and Michelle. The six remaining (Marc, Dani, Erin, Steph, Kathy, and Amber) went ahead and ordered dinner prior to going their separate ways into the night.


	57. Words From The Other Side

Marc arrived at the courthouse at 7:30 on Friday morning, desiring some quiet time with Dani before the start of Day Two of Wolff v. Estate of Danielle Schmidt.

Marc: Didn't get to ask you yesterday, but how was dinner with your sisters and Cali?

Dani: It was good. They gave us the scoop on what they saw and heard from our mothers on Saturday night and laid out in a way how they planned to help me get them to back off us both.

Marc: Both of you? What's up with Judy and Cali?

Dani: You know about the hovering from afar and wanting to be too involved in her day-to-day existence at school. She apparently said something about hoping Cali doesn't flake out on Matt by looking for someone with more potential for a public career.

Marc: Like our Matt is apt to do.

Dani: Our Matt? Since when did he become my problem in addition to yours and the girls?

Marc: Since you referred to yourself as Aunt Dani at the Homecoming dance.

Dani: I did do that, didn't I?

Marc: Yes, and he needs an older woman coming down on him like Danielle would have were she here.

Marc wiped a tear from his eye. "It's six months today since she left, and I still feel as though I'm stuck in neutral, not knowing how she would feel about you and I together. The only time she ever made a comment about you good or bad was when she was in that period where she was having behavioral changes due to the tumor. She said that you were cute and desirable if a man were looking for someone who reminded him of his daughter."

Dani: You said her friend Pam intimated possibly stopping down here today and that it might be some final words from Danielle for everyone. Maybe you'll find out then.

Marc: Yeah, and maybe she'll also shed some light on one of the things Roger said in his testimony, that she had planned to give him and Julie $10,000 for something to do with their house, which he got when their mom passed away.

Dani reached across the table and took Marc's hand. "I have said this more times than I care to count. I will stand by you, whatever comes, and I will not waver in my devotion to you or in how much I love you." She then kissed his hand on the knuckle above his left ring finger.

Marc: We should probably get upstairs, in case any of our people are here yet.

Marc and Dani walked hand-in-hand to the elevators where he pressed the up button. After entering an open car she pressed the button for the fourth floor and they rode up. When they exited, they saw Bryan and his wife Angela along with Erin, Steph, Savannah, and Emma. Marc brought up to Dani and Steph the possibility of joining him for coffee tomorrow at Stone Creek Cafe in Whitefish Bay. He had invited Michelle, Sarah, and Peter Zembruski as well in the hopes of having a focus group provide him with some feedback on the coaching module and possible changes to make in the updated version, which would be set to go for the 2020-2021 academic year alongside the two-semester seminar at Trinity. Erin asked if she could attend as well.

Marc: I invited Dawson and Wil already, so you're just as welcome as they are to listen in and maybe provide an outsider's perspective based on your athletic careers. I also have a bit of an ulterior motive for putting this together.

Erin: Why do I not like the sound of that?

Marc: Oh, you and Steph will LOVE it should things pan out. It seems a couple of Whitefish Bay residents who are commuter students and athletes at Trinity are a bit hot for each other, but can never cross paths long enough to make anything happen about it. I told one of them my plan on Wednesday, then filled in someone representing the other party that evening. Hence, the two of them will HOPEFULLY both show up at Stone Creek tomorrow morning and let the underlying sparks fly.

Steph: I was going to ask why you'd be willing to help Shelley out on the dating front, but it's obvious. You want to get her out of our hair for good and thus you're playing Yente.

Marc: Hey, we will kill a whole nest full of birds with one little action. I'm not sure if you've met the other woman, but she's a freshman on the cross-country team and the daughter of one of my high school friends. She's living with her great-aunt while going to school here. I'll introduce you to her if you haven't already made one another's acquaintance.

Out of the elevator came Dr. McManus, Amber, Kathy, and Wil. A minute or so later, Jack, Roger, and Julie arrived. Angela talked to her brother and cousin for a little bit before everyone entered the courtroom and sat down in their designated places. The bailiff called the court into session and Judge Peralta took her place upon the bench.

Judge Peralta: We left off yesterday with the petitioner having finished his direct examination of Ms. Dillon, followed by the respondent reserving the right to recall her. Petitioner, you may call your next witness.

Jack: I recall Danielle Dillon to the stand.

Dani knew this might happen and was cock-sure that she could get through the expected questioning about the March 11th meeting without breaking privilege. She took her seat and Jack began his interrogation.

Jack: I read over your contract with the Urban Coaching Project last evening and was fascinated with a couple of its provisions. First, you're on salary as opposed to an hourly wage. Why is that?

Dani: Marc wanted me to have a steady income that could be depended upon when I am in the off-season from my coaching job at Trinity.

Jack: There was also no mention of the number of hours per week you would work.

Dani: The nature of UCP means that they are heavy weeks and lighter weeks. Marc worked out the salary to cover approximately 7-8 hours a week, with additional compensation paid if I were to appreciably go over that average.

Jack pulled out his smartphone and ran some quick numbers to get a per hour rate and a per week rate were the job full-time.

Jack: Doing some figuring, the pay rate seems to be in line with positions of similar status and experience. I'm still disturbed about how the Trustee set up your contract. I can only come to two possible conclusions for its structure. One, your position is a make-work job, staffed and financed specifically to reduce net profits and perhaps incur losses that could be written off on the next year's taxes. The other conclusion is that the salary is in essence an allowance, which as we know married men will give to their mistresses in exchange for sex and keeping their affair quiet. No further questions.

Judge Peralta: Respondent, your witness.

Amber: No questions at this time, but we continue to reserve the right to recall her.

Judge Peralta: Ms. Dillon, you may step down.

Dani left the witness stand and walked directly up the aisle and out of the courtroom. Steph followed her out a few seconds later.

Dr. McManus: Your Honor, we move that the entirety of Ms. Dillon's testimony be stricken from the record as counsel for the petitioner was not questioning her but rather testifying himself on her behalf. His remarks were inflammatory and unbecoming of a member of the bar. He also attempted in his soliloquy to once again disregard your motion that any non-germane testimony or alternate theories of the Trustee's conduct be tied to one of the specified claims in the original filing. 

Judge Peralta: Stenographer, can I get the transcript from the previous witness's testimony?

The court stenographer gave the judge what she had recorded from Dani's testimony, which she read over.

Judge Peralta: Upon review, I find counsel to not have asked a question regarding his supposition of the purpose of Ms. Dillon's contract provisions. Hence, I will strike from the record all testimony following the first sentence of counsel's last comment.

Angela rose and left the courtroom in an attempt to catch up to Dani and Steph, finding them talking on the near end of the fourth-floor hallway.

Angela (to Dani): Let me apologize for my brother's behavior. He had absolutely no right to throw out such a personal attack against you. He's basically playing Julie's tune as to getting dirt that can be used to win the case.

Dani wiped away a couple of tears and lifted her head from Steph's shoulder. "I was expecting a different line of questioning this morning, one that our side had planned to defeat through Doctor/Patient privilege. I was NOT expecting to be accused pretty much of being Marc's illicit lover."

Angela: I think the three of them have a very skewed opinion of you as well as what occurred in the first hours following Danielle's stroke. I saw how you were a major support for Marc, as well as for Erin, along with Steph. Neither Jack nor Roger were here for anything but the visitation and funeral and Julie always had her set of suspicions about you and him.

Dani: We only got together somewhat officially a month ago, in celebration of my turning 25. I never imposed myself on him and anything related to my working for him was strictly a result of us both being soccer nuts and having experience with the coaching module.

Angela: Are you OK to go back in?

Dani: I think so. With today being the six-month anniversary, Marc is a little nervous about some words from the grave coming to light via Danielle's friend Pam. We should get back in to support our guys as they should be going on the offensive to eliminate what ground Jack gained with his lip service.

Angela: Judge actually struck his insinuation of you as Marc's waiting-in-the-shadows mistress from the record. Without that, I don't know how they prove anything untoward.

Dani and Steph got up and walked with Angela back into the courtroom, where Jack had rested and Amber had put Marc on the stand.

Amber: The petitioner has filed three claims as to you defrauding him and his fellow heirs. We will go through them one at a time and you can answer each of them in turn.

Marc: Bring it on.

Amber: The petitioner stated that you intentionally postponed the receipt of income from the Urban Coaching Project specifically to keep it out of your and Danielle's joint bank account should she die prior to the scheduled date of posting, August 1st. Is that true?

Marc: There were three purposes for pushing out the date of accounting. First, I wanted to hold down our level of tangible assets in order to seek assistance for rehabilitation and quality-of-life functions post-surgery. Second, I wanted to accrue a bit of a savings account to pay for treatment and to provide a second source of steady income should Danielle be off work for an extended period of time. Third, I wanted to count a portion of our licensing fees in the new fiscal year, which would now coincide with that of Trinity Lutheran University, July 1st through June 30th, rather than count all of it in a short year that began on February 1st.

Amber: Onto the second charge, that you unnecessarily added on expenses to siphon off profits derived from licensing fees and module purchases, namely hiring a program assistant.

Marc: Prior to accepting the chaplain's position at Trinity, the Urban Coaching Project was my main source of income and my primary job. That changed, but luckily I had put UCP in a position to maintain its success despite my inability to spend as much time on it as I would have liked. The amount of traffic our website got in the seven days following the United Soccer Coaches convention, which also included close to 35 messages from school districts, colleges and universities, and private sporting organizations, was unexpected and I needed help to get out from under the back log which developed. I believe you have some exhibits to present.

Amber: If it pleases the court, I'd like to submit into evidence the entirety of the Urban Coaching Project's inbox from the period of January 20th through January 25th, 2019. Additionally, I offer into evidence a comparison of the income and expenses from the period of February 8th through March 20th, 2019, clearly showing that the amount earned from licensing fees more than covered the salary and incentives given to Ms. Dillon during that time period.

Judge Peralta: The clerk will admit the files into evidence as Respondent's Exhibits 1 and 2. Continue.

Amber: The third charge was that you gave a portion of your company to a third party to deny the petitioner and the other heirs from claiming an inheritable right to Danielle's inferred interest in UCP.

Marc: Danielle and I never discussed what would happen with UCP should I die other than her making decisions on its behalf until a suitable successor or successor body could be found. With her health in question, I felt the need to put a succession plan in place should she go first and I then pass. Based on trust and the ability to collaborate with the organization's lone employee, I gave a small percentage to our goddaughter, Erin Matheson. This "gift" also gave me the freedom to liquefy some of the company's assets if necessary to pay for Danielle's treatment without losing control of the organization nor turning it over completely to Trinity Lutheran University once its Faculty Senate and the Board of Trustees approved the founding of the Urban Coaching Institute.

Amber: No further questions.

Judge Peralta: Your witness, Mr. McPherson.

Jack: In light of the Trustee's admissions on the stand, we request a recess until 1pm, at which time I will start my cross-examination.

Judge Peralta: With no objection, this court stands in recess until 1pm.

**********

Pam Rodgers was standing against the wall in the fourth-floor hallway when Erin, Steph, Emma, and Savannah walked up the corridor from Judge Peralta's courtroom. Erin continued on to her and asked why she had chosen to stop down.

Pam: Danielle had entrusted me with a handful of letters that she wanted distributed should she not beat the tumor. She asked me to hang onto them until the six-month anniversary of her death.

Pam handed Erin her letter, then handed one to Steph. As the litigants and counsel made it into the hallway, she gave ones to Marc, Roger, Julie, Angela, and Dani. The two men walked in opposite directions to read through what Danielle wished to tell them.

###

Roger,

If you're reading this, it means I am no longer here. I cherished you and I hope you were aware of that. As of now, I have yet to be able to get you and Julie the funds to pay off your home equity loan, but I'm trying my hardest. I haven't put a bequest in my trust for it nor informed Marc of my intent because I want to do this on my own. Hopefully, your share of my trust will be enough to handle that situation, but if not, talk to Marc, as I am telling him in his letter about my wish should I not be able to effectuate it prior to passing. Give the pups extra hugs from me and I'll see you at some point in the future.

Danielle

###

Marc,

If you are reading this, it means that I was unable to beat the tumor and succumbed to it by some means. In the almost 25 years we had been together, there were many ups-and-downs, but for the most part your loyalty to me was never in question. That has shown up in how you have been by my side so far in this battle, taking time off from work (both versions) to come with me to appointments and asking questions of the doctors to better understand what I was facing. There are a number of things I need to say to bring closure to where things might have left off.

First, the family home has a lien on it and I want to get it removed. If it hasn't been done yet, please commit $10,000 to Roger and Julie so they can reclaim full ownership of it. Next, please consider asking Alyssa to stand in my place at the altar with you for Erin and Steph's eventual wedding (you know it's going to happen). Additionally, please keep Sydney engaged with you beyond the funds she's receiving to finish off her BS. The last thing you need to know is that I release you to go forward and find someone who can make you as happy as you made me. You may already know the person, you may not, but I know who I would pick for you if I were there now, and I'm telling Julie to back the f off if you and this person are in fact together at the time you read this.

I'll see you again, and I'll miss you up here in Heaven until you arrive.

Danielle

###

While Marc was attempting to get his emotions under control, Roger walked over to him and put his hand on his shoulder.

Roger: I think we need to talk.

With tear-laden eyes, Marc nodded at his brother-in-law and let him open the dialogue.

Roger: I read what my sister wrote to me. She said she never told you about the house situation. When she promised us the money, I thought she had it either set aside in the trust or would factor it into what would be left to me.

Marc: No, I didn't know about that. She probably would have considered putting it in the trust if she had gotten sicker, but she got the good news about the tumor shrinking and the surgery date set a month ahead of when we thought it might happen and probably thought she'd have time between then and the beginning of June to do her magic and get you the funds.

Roger: When I didn't see the provision in the trust, I was angry and wondered if somehow you were to blame for it, which is why we did the search of your bank account and saw the big money dump at the beginning of August, causing us to inquire about whether you had held back the promised funds until after you declared to us the value and components of the trust.

Marc: She wanted you to have that money, so you will get it. I'll need a few days to move it from UCP to my personal account to you, but it will be coming. I'll also move $5000 into the trust so each of the kids gets an additional thousand dollars. Will that be enough for you to withdraw the complaint?

Roger: Yes. After hearing your testimony this morning about your attempts to stabilize life for both you and Danielle, I knew there was no chance I'd be able to prove intent upon recall. I'll talk to Jack about getting it dismissed when we return from lunch.

Marc: You might also want to talk to Julie about what's in her letter. Danielle told me in mine that she needed to "back the f off" if I happened to have started seeing a certain someone by the time the letters were distributed.

Roger: I take it she's referring to the person Jack raked over the coals earlier today.

Marc: Yes. We've been somewhat officially dating for about a month, but she's been by my side as a friend and comfort since our collective Danielle had the stroke and ultimately passed. Once we get this cleared up and the day here done, come over to the house and we can unwind from the stress of these last two days. It's also a good chance for you and Julie to get to know the rest of my second family. Danielle wouldn't want today to be the end of our acquaintance and said as much relative to Sydney in her letter to me.

Roger: I'll persuade Julie into it, as we weren't planning to travel back north until tomorrow.

Marc reached out and embraced Roger, with the two men making amends for the wedge which had gotten in the way of doing right by their mutual loved one.


	58. A New Beginning

Court was back in session following the lunch recess.

Judge Peralta: Petitioner, I believe you are up to cross-examine Mr. Schmidt, correct?

Jack: During the recess, the two sides spoke and my client wishes to have the case dismissed, without prejudice.

Judge Peralta: As there is no counterclaim, I will acquiesce to the petitioner's request and dismiss his case against the Estate of Danielle Schmidt without prejudice. This court stands adjourned.

**********

Most of the combatants traveled from the courthouse to Marc's house for a time to unwind and fellowship after the stress of the previous two days. Erin and Dani went into the kitchen and dug through Marc's refrigerator and cabinets to round up a selection of snacks and drinks, bringing them into the dining room.

Bryan: How did the case go from all-out warfare this morning to being dropped when the afternoon session was to start?

Marc: Long story short, Roger and I talked and learned a couple of things that neither of us had been told by Danielle. From that came the resolution of putting in place what she had truly wanted, which is how the decision came to seek a dismissal.

Roger: I thought Marc knew Danielle's wishes and acted to ignore them, and he thought I was chasing after a larger slice of the pie through the fraud claim. I only brought that claim forward in order to get an answer as to why her desire to help us get the house free-and-clear again wasn't being honored.

Angela: Everything happened so fast those two weeks or so in April. She got the update on the 9th, went up to see the family for Easter looking and feeling good, then three days later had the stroke. I'm sure she thought she had time to do everything she wanted after her prognosis improved.

Pam: Has everyone read their letters yet?

Erin: No, because I didn't want to break down in the courthouse like Marc ending up doing.

Steph: Neither have I, because I'm waiting until Erin and I are alone to do it.

Julie: I read it on the drive over here, because Marc told Roger I should ahead of this family circle.

Dani: I'm going to wait a couple of days I think. Let the busyness of this weekend slip away before approaching what she might have wanted me to know.

Angela: What's on the plate?

Marc: We're holding a coaches' forum tomorrow morning at a coffee shop in Whitefish Bay to get some feedback on updates for the coaching module and curriculum subjects for the institute's two-semester seminar that will hopefully gain approval from Faculty Senate and the Board of Trustees in two weeks. That evening is the synod's Reformation Day dinner at the Hyatt Regency. Sunday morning, I'm delivering the sermon for both services at Annunciation Lutheran, where the synod's offices are located.

Julie: You must be built from some serious steel to be able to manage that kind of schedule and not wear out.

Marc: I'm lucky that I get this level of back-to-back-to-back events infrequently, but the last year or so has been one crazy ride. Weddings in Chicago, the Raleigh area, and Philadelphia, the coaches' convention in Chicago, Synod Assembly on-campus, Churchwide Assembly, all on top of my multi-prong job at Trinity that resulted in being out-of-balance a few times between last October and now.

Julie: I know I wasn't all that fair to you when we arrived at the hospital that day, but I couldn't think of an explanation for why you would jump so fast at letting her die instead of using every measure possible to get her back to something close to normal. I guess I wanted to believe the worst and, combined with how well she looked and felt when we saw her the previous Sunday, led me to think that you were trying to get rid of her to move on with someone else.

Marc: That's quite alright. Your eyes saw what they saw and you weren't going to be dissuaded from believing what you thought was in front of you. Truth is a couple of things happened the day before that caused me to slide again into being ready for something adverse to happen. One was a snipe she took at me concerning my job, which she hadn't done since being on the chemo but resembled the behavioral change that occurred with the untreated tumor. The second was a near-accident on our way home that night from Erin's lacrosse game. When I got the call the next morning from our pastor with the news of her collapse, I was dare I say calm, because I was prepared. It might have seemed like I didn't care, but I had gotten all the bargaining and anger and bitterness out while she was in the early stages of treatment.

Julie: Sort of the same as when Frank chose to end treatment. We knew what the outcome would be, but he accepted it and it took a bit of time for us to do so. By the time he passed, everyone I think had made their peace with the decision and prepared for getting life in order before you and Danielle came back up on that Wednesday. I also guess I should make an apology to you, Dani. I didn't know Jack was going to take that line with you. I just wanted him to rouse up a little bit of suspicion to make it easier for him to prove that Marc was hiding something. After reading Danielle's letter to me, I realize that you, Erin, and Steph were literally his lifesavers during his struggles with work and her, and then would be filling that role again after she passed on. Can you forgive me?

Dani: Girls, we know what to do, because Mad Dog taught us right. Right?

Erin and Steph: Yes!

Dani, Erin, and Steph got up and gave Julie a group hug, then Dani told her what they had learned from Marc so far this semester.

Dani: To quote Hannah Montana, nobody's perfect. We all screw up here and there, jump to conclusions without all the facts, or ignore the truth because a conspiracy is so much more fun to believe.

Julie: Are you and Marc together, because Danielle seemed to believe that you were someone she'd pick for him?

Dani: We are.

Julie: So you know all his tricks and foibles, then.

Dani: Yes, but that's the biggest difference between Danielle and myself. She wouldn't allow him to be both Brain and Santa Claus, fighting his need for outward affirmation and worship. Through watching him work at Trinity, and taking into account what I knew about him while playing for MUSC, I realized that he needs that balance of good and evil to be his best self. Most of the time, he won't take his vengeance out on someone who doesn't deserve it, but he WILL light you on fire if you cross him or someone he loves. That's why he went for broke on this case, because your side was indirectly attacking me and Erin on top of him. Also, he had a major trump card up his sleeve that none of you knew about, I bet. He didn't use it, but it was there all the same.

Julie: What's that?

Dani: He's known the judge's dad and extended family for more than 40 years. Never really crossed paths with her in school after first grade due to her graduating and their five-year age gap.

Julie: We didn't know that, but then again, we didn't really ask much about their life down here.

Angela and Bryan left, with Erin and Steph going back to campus to get some well-deserved rest before tomorrow's craziness. Roger and Julie departed and told Marc they'd check in with him on Tuesday for an update on the time table for his transfer of funds to them. Marc told Dani he'd like her to stay the night because he could use her company to keep his mind off of replaying Danielle's letter and choking up. With that, they drove up to her place so she could get a change of clothes for tomorrow morning, as she would stop back home after the focus group to pick up her outfit and accessories for the Reformation Day dinner before heading down to Marc's around mid-afternoon.

**********

Kailen sat outside Stone Creek Cafe near her great-aunt's home waiting for the coaching collective and the object of her wanting to arrive. Steph and Erin were the first of the group to show up and walked inside to grab a couple of tables for themselves and the others. Marc and Dani were next and the chaplain said hi to Kailen, then introduced Dani to her. Walking up the street next were Peter and Shelley Zembruski. When she saw who was seated outside talking with Deacon Schmidt and Coach Dillon, she ducked behind her dad to bring her nerves under control. Peter continued walking and went inside, with his daughter in tow. Once everyone ordered and received their drinks, the coaching group sat down by the northeast windows of the establishments. Shelley, clearly not confident in her ability to actually find something to say to the woman who had repeatedly knocked her off her feet, went outside and found a table near the west end of the patio, about 15 feet away from Kailen. Sarah and Wil walked toward the coffee shop's entrance and she noticed Shelley sitting by herself, then saw who was on the other side of the veranda and deduced that the expected fireworks were beginning to smolder. She said hi to Shelley and gave her a couple of words of encouragement before entering the cafe. Once Shelley was again alone, Kailen rose from her seat and walked over to her.

Kailen: Do I always have this kind of effect on you? You look like you just saw a puppy get hit by a car.

Shelley stammered for a couple of seconds before getting out a coherent response. "I clearly wasn't expecting to run into you off-campus. As for your effect on me, maybe it has to do with the fact that you are probably one of the HOTTEST athletes I've seen around Trinity and I have clearly not enough game to step forward and tell you that."

Kailen: So, let's talk. I'm Kailen and I'm a freshman at Trinity. Can I just say it's a b**** commuting AND being a jock! Can't hang out with your teammates, can't get to know people around campus, don't feel like you have space to be academic at home.

Shelley: Shelley, and I read you to a T! Doesn't help that I'm probably going to be on an extended timeline due to my major and the need for grad school following my Bachelor's.

Kailen: Live around here?

Shelley: Yes. Diversey just north of Birch. You?

Kailen: Idlewild and Lancaster. Grew up here before moving to the Madison area when my mom landed a job out there a few years ago. Now I'm back in my old house living with my great-aunt.

Shelley: That would explain how I've never seen you around these parts. My family moved up from the east side the summer before I started high school because I wasn't able to get off the waiting list at Rufus King and I didn't want to follow in my sisters' footsteps at Riverside.

Kailen: My mom went to Riverside. Learned a couple of interesting stories about her from one of the staff at Trinity who's a friend of hers from their time together there.

Shelley: My mom went to King, so we either should hate each other or attempt to make peace between the factions.

Kailen: I think we would do a LOT better making peace, because I'd like to have a piece of you all to myself.

Shelley blushed at what she thought was a bit of a pick-up line. "You one of us?"

Kailen: Most definitely! Got a girlfriend? Want one?

Shelley: You are NOT wasting any time, are you?! No, I don't have one at the moment. Like you said, it's a pain in the rear not being able to build anything with anyone because you're limited in your time to socialize with your classmates, teammates, and the general student population. As for the second question, there is a major mom problem that I'm fighting. She doesn't want me to be gay, although I've never found out if it's homophobia or her belief in my need to "marry up", or a combination of both.

Kailen: I get you. I've had to keep my sexuality a bit off my dad's radar. My mom is totally cool with me being who I am, but he's a little frosty considering my older sister is hard femme and he and her butt heads a whole lot. I'm somewhere between chapstick and sporty. Definitely female, but I save the nines for special occasions, like the All-Sports Mixer and Homecoming dance.

Shelley: I'm more or less straight-up femme. Yes, I'm an athlete, but most of the time I like being a girl, with shorter outfits, more pastel or feminine colors, and I have an intense weakness for shoes. It's weird saying that because I also tend to be the more aggressive in terms of chasing after women. That is, until I met you and couldn't get out of my own way to signal my attraction to you.

Kailen: You're being honest, and I appreciate that. I meant what I said earlier, that I'd like to take a shot at you. Good thing I'm wearing shorts under my tearaways, or else I'd probably have some explaining to do as to why there would be a spot in a certain area.

Shelley: So...want to go out sometime? Doesn't have to be a date date. Just two maybe-friends getting together for dinner one night back here in the Bay.

Kailen pulled out her phone and zapped Shelley's to transfer their numbers to one another. "I'll call you tomorrow once I come up with an idea. Next Saturday work for you?"

Shelley: Sounds perfect.

Kailen: Got a fairly good bike ride ahead of me, and it looks like the clouds are going to open up on us, so I best get going.

Kailen got up and walked around the table, then placed a peck on Shelley's cheek and whispered to her, "I'll be thinking about you when I, you know, fix my little problem with built-up moisture." She walked out the far end of the patio and went to where she had parked her bike, leaving Shelley once again stunned. A few minutes later, her dad and the rest of the focus group came out of the cafe and saw her sitting in her seat slightly agape. She shook herself out of the daze she was in and got up to walk home with Peter, filling him in on what had happened in the previous hour.


	59. A Gathering For The Redeemed

With Alyssa and Abby having picked up the two vans for this evening's and tomorrow morning's off-campus events, the pressure to get ready for the Reformation Day dinner was slightly less dramatic. Steph, Alyssa, and Katelyn were in the first two's room working to have their slightly-larger frames fit into the outfits they chose for the evening. Steph, as usual, was done first and was pulled together reasonably well in a black shift and black suede open-toed ankle boots.

Alyssa: Steph, can you help me with the front of my dress? I'm worried that the upper part is showing a little more skin than I'd want to have seen.

Steph came over and saw the problem with Alyssa's dress was that the sash around the waist wasn't long enough to allow a person with her dimensions to raise the point of the v-neck to a respectable place above her cleavage. Doing a quick swap of Alyssa's sash for one of Steph's narrow fabric belts provided enough extra length to pull the right side of the dress further over the left, thus tightening up the v-neck.

Alyssa: Thank you! I felt so naked with the top barely covering the inner portions of my boobs.

Steph: Never had that problem, but I'm not built as much in that part of my body as you.

Katelyn: How do I look?

Alyssa: One, you're going to mesmerize Abby. Two, you probably aren't going to get the quilting guild backbiting you unless they want to crack on your choosing not to go with the "uniform" for pastors' daughters or spouses.

Katelyn: Don't remind me. Some of those women in my dad's congregation could be downright NASTY with their attitude about how I was supposed to present myself.

Meanwhile, Erin was giving Cali some advice and pointers based on last year's dinner.

Erin: You're at Marc's table, so expect to be on giggle alert since you know he is going to let one or two one-liners loose. Also, he will protect you from being too uncomfortable with those around you. Most likely, you'll be between Dani and your Matt, and you can get away with talking to just those two if you don't want to expand beyond that.

Cali: You sure this is going to look OK? It's more or less the same thing I wore under my gown when I graduated from Greendale Martin Luther and luckily none of the teachers or mothers got on me about it.

Erin: *I* think it looks fine, not really much different than what you wore last Saturday when we all went out for Sweetest Day. Matt will think you look good and that's the only opinion that really matters.

Cali: Your outfit is the right level of cute and professional. Doesn't surprise me given how many of these events you did last year with Marc and the others.

Erin: Thanks. I'm trying to build out my "business" wardrobe a bit, which is why I went with longer sleeves and heels with some height but not a whole lot.

There was a knock on their door, which Cali responded to. Julie Koerner walked in and asked for a quick primer on make-up and hair.

Erin and Cali both complimented Julie on her choice of outfit and the not-so-drab colors she selected. Once they had gotten Julie looking glamorous, the three of them left and went next door to join the other three. A couple of minutes later, Christen and Julie arrived and together the eight of them walked to the elevator for the ride down to the lobby.

Alyssa walked outside to get her assigned van and drove to the front of Augsburg, with Abby's pulling up behind her. They each exited and made sure everyone was there and knew who they would be riding with. The fourteen students loaded up the two vans and were on the road to the Hyatt Regency downtown in a matter of minutes.

**********

Dani was in front of the upstairs bathroom mirror putting on her jewelry when Marc walked by and snuck a peek at her.

Marc: Babe, you look fantastic! 

He stepped into the bathroom and placed a kiss on her cheek, followed by her turning to him and laying one on his lips.

Dani: First time we're out together with the church folk. I know there will be some eyes on me, but I trust you to stand beside me and give me the strength to get through the cocktail hour.

Marc: Paul said he would make sure you were identified as part of TLU athletics, so stay in that lane. You'll have Cali and I at the table to steady you during dinner as well. I am always proud of you being by my side wherever we go, and if I don't say it enough, I love you, Danielle.

Dani wrapped her arms around Marc and, standing slightly above him in her heels, leaned forward and poured her heart into a deep kiss. After breaking it, she said, "Oh, by the way, I love you, too."

After one final check-over of each other, the pair left the house and drove to the Hyatt.

**********

In the pre-function area outside the Regency Ballroom, early arrivals were making use of the open bar. Jamie was the first of the Trinity contingent to arrive and was talking with one of the table captains.

Jamie: How hard was it for you to become a deacon, because I feel like I did literally nothing but brush up on the Confessions and familiarize myself with ELCA policy positions before being consecrated?

Deacon Laura Capshaw: Mine might have been about as easy a road as yours. I went to an ELCA college, then followed my future husband to an ELCA seminary. I took a couple of courses while we were there to gain a bit more background on Lutheran education, then was commissioned as an associate in ministry. The deacon title came when the ELCA combined its two lay rosters into one. Are you doing anything with your designation?

Jamie: I added on the role of associate chaplain at Trinity Lutheran University to my previous ones of head women's volleyball coach and associate athletic director at the start of this academic year.

Laura: Oh boy! You must have a death wish to agree to that gig. Your "boss" is a riot. I think my husband is a barrel of laughs, but Marc seems to be able to top even him.

The Trinity students came up the escalator and fanned out around the pre-function area looking for familiar faces. Katelyn, Steph, Erin, Abby, and Matt Olson walked up to Jamie and Laura and joined in their conversation.

Steph (to Laura): I guess I'm in the right place, as I'm the student Rev. Sherman assigned to your table. Stephanie Lafleur.

Laura: Pleased to meet you. I know there is a bit of rationale for Matt's assignments, so I'm guessing you're looking into the diaconate.

Steph: Yes. I'm a physical education and religion double major at Trinity Lutheran and part of Deacon Schmidt's Peer Ministry Alliance.

Laura: As I was telling Deacon Krueger, I was originally an associate in ministry but was "promoted" when the ELCA combined its lay rosters. I don't have the two-year graduate degree, so I'm technically a synodical deacon, but I'm hopeful that Bishop Emerson will consider my experience and past education in giving me a pathway to become a Churchwide Diaconal Minister.

Marc came up behind Erin and asked her, "Who's your favorite godfather?"

Erin: You, Mr. Slick...

Dani: Did you have to do that, Marc?

Steph: Seriously, XP. You know my girl is shy sometimes. By the way, come over here and meet my table captain.

Marc: LAURA! I saw your name on the list I got from Matt Sherman, but didn't put two and two together when I saw the title, forgetting that the consolidation of the lay rosters made you a deacon.

Laura: Yeah, Marc. Still needing to explain how I didn't have to go through Diakonia or get my MA to become one.

Rev. Joe Rollins walked over to the group and complimented his eldest daughter on her outfit, pecking her cheek.

Marc: Laura, I want to introduce you to a couple of special guests at my table, Rev. Joe Rollins and Danielle Dillon. Joe is the pastor of Lutheran Church of the Savior in Racine and Dani is the assistant women's soccer coach and soon-to-be assistant director of the Urban Coaching Institute at Trinity.

Laura shook hands with both of them. "Deacon Laura Capshaw."

Marc: The two of you may remember her husband from Churchwide. He was the member of the Dancing With The Bishops panel who wore the Suit of Outlandish Color.

Joe: I told my wife I needed one of those. Where did he get it?

Laura: I don't even know. When he was asked by Marc to be part of the Wednesday night entertainment at Churchwide, and found out who else would be on the panel, he knew he had to bring something a bit over-the-top to the proceedings.

Dani: I think you and I need to compare notes at some point, because my man works for the church and is a huge cut-up as well.

Marc: What brings you to our humble gathering from the eclecticism of Taos, and where's Jared?

Laura: He and the boys are in Indiana with his father. He suffered a heart attack just after Jared returned from Churchwide and hubby has been there on-and-off for the past three months. As for the rest of the story, he's on sabbatical at the moment and I was hired by the national office to a multi-synod contract position in the area of Lutheran education. With the new college going up at LSTC on the heels of Trinity's reinvention of the standard ELCA college, a number of the synods in this part of the country want to "up the game". Currently, I'm working on the development of a 9-12 high school model that can hopefully be put in place in 2-3 years. After that, they want me to get more of the ELCA colleges entering formal partnerships with one another, like the seminaries have and like your school seems to be doing on the athletic front and with the redevelopment of Luther's Promise.

Marc: Are you based out of Chicago, then?

Laura: No. Since Paul is putting up half the money for the position, I'm based here. So Dani, when can I take you up on that offer, because I'm sure you realize it's not easy dealing with someone who can turn literally anything into a joke or a one-liner?

Dani: Marc, I, and a few of the students will be at Annunciation tomorrow since he's preaching the two services. Afterwards, maybe?

Laura: Let's do it.

**********

During dinner at the Chaplain's table, Dani asked Paula Rollins about what to expect from parishioners after she and Marc go public following the holidays.

Paula: Joe was single when he took his first call, at the parish where my parents worshiped. I didn't meet him until I came back to Williams Bay for Christmas that year. The people of my parents' generation were all atwitter in the interim, apparently, with trying to set him up with their nieces, hairdressers, kids' teachers. When I was back for Easter service a few months later, he and I decided to be seen in public together, that maybe it would get the Yentes off his back and force them back underground. It did the opposite, as they felt no one in THEIR church was good enough for the pastor. We married a couple of years later and he informed the bishop he wished to seek a new call. It took about a year, but he eventually was called to Church of the Savior, where he's been for almost 20 years. The first six, seven years were rough on me because WELCA expected a LOT of my time and most of its members were dragging me first for not having kids, then for not having a second almost immediately, then choosing to stop at two and not attempting to provide Joe with a son. You need to have a bit of a thick skin to last as a pastor's wife or significant other. You also need to be prepared for the knives BEFORE you take that first step. I wasn't and it took close to ten years until I felt comfortable enough in my relationship with Joe and what we had chosen and built to push back against the naysayers.

Dani: Tomorrow, when I go to Annunciation with Marc and the others, I won't really have a means of hiding the relationship we have. At Trinity, it's easier because of other connections we have at the school. At conferences, same thing. Churchwide wasn't really that hard because Bishop Emerson offered a welcoming environment for locals to attend sessions, which is how I learned more about the ELCA and where my Catholic background would and would not be useful. I'm not the most emotionally robust person you'll ever meet, so I am always quite nervous the first time I step into a new area of Marc's world.

Paula: I can tell you he's a winner based on how he stepped in for Joe after what happened after Churchwide and how he has become an additional mentor in the pulpit for Katelyn as she considers a future in the church. I had to trust Joe to have my back when the biddies got after me, and he was there all the way. I'm sure Marc does and will do the same for you.

Erin stopped by Marc's table and asked Dani and Katelyn to join her for a powder. Once in the ladies' room, she told the other two what she had heard from her table and those around her.

Erin: The vultures are out tonight. Just from my vantage point, I heard cracks made against Alyssa, both Julies, and you, Dani. Can't imagine who else might be getting sniped out of earshot.

Dani: What was said about Alyssa?

Erin: That the level of cleavage she was showing was unbecoming a future member of the clergy.

Katelyn: The alternative to what they saw was a LOT worse. Woman don't know what she and Steph went through to get the top of her dress to look anything close to appropriate.

Dani: Dare I ask what I got dissed for?

Erin: The big one was about wearing something that form-fitting given your size, as though it was painted on you. There was also a snipe about Marc and his "taste" given his age and what the person presumed was yours.

Dani: If I tell him, he probably tries to torch him or her.

Erin: Right. I'll tell him tomorrow between services so he has a chance to address it but not a lot of time to stew upon it.

Dani: That's probably the best choice.

Katelyn: I told Steph and Alyssa that some of the women in my home congregation could be extremely vicious with their criticism and backbiting. Sorry you're experiencing it, Coach Dillon.

Dani: Your mom said I needed a thick skin to survive as a clergy person's other half, and I guess this is as good a time as any to start developing it.

The three women exited the restroom and returned to their tables. Marc asked what the little colloquy was about, to which Dani answered that they'd discuss it when they were back at his place.

**********

Bishop Paul Emerson: I hope everyone enjoyed dinner and meeting old and new faces. Before I move into my remarks, I would like to thank the Hyatt Regency events staff for their attentiveness to our guests this evening and for the professionalism they displayed with us in communicating changes on their end that required some adjustments to our seating plans for tonight. This past year has seen the ELCA, and specifically the Greater Milwaukee Synod, embark on a modern-day Reformation project, one that started at the 2016 Churchwide Assembly with the Draft Social Statement on Women and Justice. Women in this synod have made significant leaps concerning their place within the church and society as a whole. I'll highlight just a few of those.

One week following last year's dinner, our synod's lone institution of higher education, Trinity Lutheran University, officially repealed the ban on women in the Pre-Seminary Studies program it inherited from Concordia-Wisconsin. This year's class of synodical deacons was 70% women, and two new endeavors will allow more women to both gain consecration and be elevated from synodical to Churchwide Diaconal Ministers, including three of the seven members that were most recently rostered. The Social Statement on Women and Justice passed Churchwide Assembly by a large margin and the increase of intelligent, grace-filled women in leadership positions in the ELCA and our synod continues to be a beacon of light and hope to other denominations. Continuing on that train of thought, I'd like to welcome Greater Milwaukee Synod WELCA president Robin Brackett to say a few words about how the ladies in the pews have advanced the cause of women in the church this past year.

Robin Brackett: Thank you, Bishop Emerson. While the synod staff and their power brokers in Chicago and around the area aimed at opening the top end of the church to our sisters and daughters, we in WELCA focused on increasing our own numbers and bringing in a new generation of faithful, God-fearing women to continue the programs we have in place and emphasize the piousness of our congregations' softer sex. We had the largest-ever number of attendees at our annual WELCA gathering, with the average age dropping more than 3 years from last year. We have raised more money for overseas relief work and gifted more quilts than projected, and several parish WELCA heads saw their daughters make lifetime vows to men who will one day occupy our synod's pulpits. In the next year, we are hoping to emphasize the many ways women can serve in the church aside from rostered leadership and will make a renewed effort to inculcate in our sisters the attributes of the Proverbs 31 woman.

As Robin finished her remarks, a bit of grumbling came from several corners of the ballroom. Paul quickly wrapped up the program in an effort to diffuse the potential firestorm the previous speaker unleashed. Quick on the draw, Marc offered his opinion to the rest of the table.

Marc: So much for reforming the church's treatment of women. We do the heavy lifting to break down the walls and ceilings that have limited full participation for far too long and WELCA wants to turn back the clock to the 1950s, before women's ordination, Title IX, and the equal rights movement. And we wonder why our congregations aren't growing.

Joe: As Paula said, she's seen it in our church since our first day there. It's also why I'm a bit leery about Katelyn's desire to follow me into the pulpit, because it's not the men who will chip away at her strength of character or passion, but the endless backbiting from the women.

Dani: I'm not totally familiar with the reference the speaker made about "the Proverbs 31 woman".

Marc: The Proverbs 31 woman is considered the gold standard of Christian femininity and womanhood. It's also the pigeon hole you'll be facing when dealing with the standard middle-aged to elderly woman in the church. I'm going to have to think about this and see how to incorporate it into Wednesday's homily since I don't think I can do justice on it in tomorrow's.

Laura Capshaw walked over to Marc's table, followed by Jessica Sherman, Rachel Belding, Jamie, and Alex Bailey.

Rachel: Marc, we need to talk.

Marc: I'll be back shortly. Joe, can you fill everyone in on that passage and its repercussions for women in the church?

Joe: Will do.

Marc and the other rostered leaders left the ballroom and found a quiet spot to discuss what was on the women's minds.

Rachel: What the h*** was that pile of drivel?! Jessica, Marc, and I pump up our female students with messages of empowerment and "You go, girl!", only for them to be told by others that they should aspire to be a Stepford Wife and content with the ring, the 2.3 kids, and the white picket fence.

Marc: I can only shake my head and wonder if we're setting up our young women for frustration or even disillusionment when their mothers and others of that generation pump them so full of that BS thinking. It's why I'm afraid of openly being in a relationship, because the kind of damage the back pew gatekeepers and gossips can do to someone unsuspecting is immense.

Alex: Like Coach Dillon? By the way, she has great fashion sense for someone of her size. Maybe she can help me out with making my outsize shape look more flattering.

Marc: Is it THAT obvious she and I might be together?!

Rachel: Sorry, but yes. No matter how much you want to hide it, people who know either of you can see the attraction, devotion, connection that exists.

Marc: I don't think she's ready to be run through the wringer yet, which is why I'm really not wanting others to pick up on it. Any of you planning to address what we heard from Ms. Brackett, either tomorrow if you're supplying or during the week on-campus or elsewhere?

Alex: It's going right from my ears to Jenn Healey's desk once I have a chance to write up the comments and my opinion.

Laura: I'll take it up with Paul on Monday.

Jessica: I plan to give a wrap-up of tonight's event at the start of service tomorrow night and will probably choose to mention it there rather than in the sermon.

Rachel: Monday night's education hour might be a good place to discuss these comments from all sides and give more context to this tug-of-war.

Marc: Haven't decided my response yet. I could run roughshod and redo my sermon for Annunciation's services, or do that for Wednesday's service at Trinity, with Jamie, Alyssa, Steph, and Katelyn being examples of the struggle from the professional side, and Erin, Abby, Julie, and Dani from the personal side. Might drop Laura and Lynn Emerson in there as well from the perspective of couples where both are rostered. I might also get something on paper that I'll send to Paul for inclusion in next week's bulletins around the synod.

Alex: If you do, send me a copy of it so I can pass it onto Jenn and perhaps elsewhere at the Churchwide offices.

After completing their conversation, the three pastors and three deacons walked back to the ballroom, where most of the Trinity students, Dani, Kurt Belding, and Matt Sherman were waiting. Marc checked in with Alyssa about transportation to Annunication from campus in the morning, then recommended to the legal-among-them that they hit Bistro 333 downstairs for some kvetch time.


	60. The Pains Of Rebirth

Marc's homily for the 8am service at Annunciation Lutheran Church focused on the ELCA's moves over the past two-to-three years that have resulted in a more welcoming environment for women to seek leadership positions with the church and the growth in the number of women both in seminary as well as rostered in the denomination. During coffee hour between the 8:00 and 10:30 services, he took on the dissonance that seemed to exist between the people at the front of the sanctuary and those throughout it.

Marc: I arrived here this morning a bit disturbed by what I had heard at the Reformation Day dinner from our synod's WELCA president and afterwards from some of my colleagues. It seems that what we in the trenches have been doing to open the church up to women has not taken hold among the faithful who fill our congregations on a weekly basis, as they continue to take a view of a woman's place in the church that is not much different than it was in the 1950s, before women's ordination in the ELCA's predecessor denominations, Title IX, and the equal rights movement. On top of that, the expectations and standards held by these self-appointed gatekeepers run counter to what is being experienced outside these walls. I understand where Robin Brackett is coming from, I do. There has always been a huge hole within the church in the 18-30 age range, which coincides with college attendance and early adulthood. As women my age move into parish leadership, instead of re-writing the script passed onto them from the previous generation to bring women's ministry into the 21st Century, they're choosing to stick with it, even when they fought against that interpretation of Christian womanhood in the past. The accomplishments she pointed out in her remarks last night were RI-DIC-U-LOUS! How is marrying your daughter off to a future pastor an "accomplishment"?! "Achieving" a drop in the average age of WELCA gathering attendees is something praise-worthy?! I want to engage you with this topic rather than stand up here and rail. Can I get a volunteer to provide me an example of being made to feel unwelcome in a place of worship due to unwritten expectations or the insidious act of backbiting?

Beth Mifflin: When I moved to Indiana following my undergraduate days, I tried to find an ELCA church that was a bit more open-and-affirming than the one I attended in my youth. I visited both congregations in the mid-size town that was my new home and felt as though I had gone back in time, that the environment I experienced before leaving for Michigan State hadn't changed in my five or six years away from the "normal" congregation. Sure, everyone comes off as friendly when you're a visitor, but after a couple of weeks of attendance and the "gatekeepers", as Deacon Schmidt mentioned, start to learn more about you, the "helpful comments" start coming out. When I moved here to take a teaching job at West Allis Central, I thought the progressiveness of the Milwaukee area would mean I could find a congregation that fit me. Was I ever wrong, as the same kind of entrenched attitudes I saw in Tipton and Allegan were evident in the West Allis ones.

Marc: What were some of those "comments"?

Beth: Asking about why I wasn't married, little nips at my desiring to dress cute despite not being blessed with a standard figure, attempts to get me to sign up for various circles or projects that weren't in line with my passions of educational equality and social justice.

Marc: Thank you. What was just described to you is pretty much the standard operating procedure in our parishes on this subject. I heard from my goddaughter by way of a friend of mine that a number of our school's attendees last night had been sniped at by other guests. Instead of focusing on the positive of having such a large number of young, faithful servants in their presence, they took to commenting on adiaphora, things that are inconsequential in the larger narrative of God's redemptive work on Earth. I'd like to hear someone defend the other side's thought process on nitpicking their younger sisters in the faith for being, well, independent thinkers and the product of a society that has provided them the ability to become a more-evolved version of the Proverbs 31 woman.

Sheila Donegan: I know I grew up at a time before some of the societal advances you mentioned had taken hold, but I was thoroughly disgusted by the way supposedly pious women were treating the church and their place within it, as though there was no value to being a wife, mother, and homemaker. The push to reassert a more wholesome interpretation of Christian womanhood didn't originate with Robin, but instead came from several of us on the WELCA board who felt we wouldn't be able to maintain the good we do in the church as we moved into our twilight years given what we were seeing in the next generation's attitudes, mores, and to use one of your words, "evolution". Those of us who profess to be Lutherans should be held to a higher standard than the average woman, which is why there is a continued need for us, as the hearts of the home and church and the ones who are held responsible for how the next generation turns out, to reinforce the unwritten rules that were passed onto us by our mothers and grandmothers. As for how we do it, we were taught that overt conflict was the work of the devil, hence we try to nudge others through the telephone line, if you will.

Marc: That's a fair defense. Doesn't mean I agree with it or that it should be how we progress as a denomination, but I get it. You came of age when there was a certain model of femininity that was being challenged by a complete revolution. As for your explanation for why women in the church retreat into a form of interaction known as "Minnesota Nice", which is being nice to a person's face while throwing daggers into her back, we should be BETTER than that as Lutherans. We complain over and over about how our congregations are losing members, are becoming financially unsustainable, and how no one will rise up to replace the noble warriors of past generations, but we refuse to look in the mirror and realize that most of that damage comes from our own actions against those in our midst. Before I wrap up, I want to say two things. One, I plan to take on this subject during our weekly worship service at Trinity, which is at Noon on Wednesday. Second, I will be sending Bishop Emerson a missive pushing back against Ms. Brackett's remarks from last night, which I hope will end up as part of next week's church bulletins. Go in peace, serve the Lord.

GATHERED: Thanks be to God!

**********

Laura and Dani went to Cafe Centraal for brunch following Annunciation's 10:30 service and traded stories about their men and life as a professional woman alongside a member of the cloth.

Laura: I'm sure you get asked this all the time, but how did someone at your point of life's timeline land someone at Marc's point? There has to be a backstory somehow.

Dani: There is. When I was in college, I played for his summer league soccer team. Fast-forward three years. I was newly hired at Trinity as assistant women's soccer coach and ran into him in our campus's equivalent of a student union during the lunch hour. We talk, friendship develops, then more. After Danielle passed away, we spent a lot of time together as there were several things on his short-term schedule that would have been uncomfortable for him to do or attend alone, like Churchwide Assembly, and his goddaughter Erin was back in Michigan for the summer.

Laura: Pretty simple when you boil it down. I'm guessing that's the same Erin that was at last night's dinner and today's service.

Dani: Yes. So how did you and Jared come to meet?

Laura: Blame my brother. He and Jared had gotten to know each other through Lutheran Student Movement. One weekend, Jared came down to Cincinnati to visit Josh in the dorms. He apparently won over my parents so well that my mom called me at school to tell me about him. The three of us and a host of others from the area went to the LSM National Gathering in Phoenix over semester break that year. That's where I met Marc the first time, and it's also where Jared broke out his first Suit of Outlandish Color. We got married a few years later, then went onto seminary together. I had been part of the church staff at his first two calls, but when he chose to go on sabbatical to care for his father, I had to look for something REASONABLY close to Indianapolis, which is how I came to end up here. Plans at this point are for him to hopefully be able to land a call following Easter week in a parish somewhere in the Greater Milwaukee Synod.

Dani: I heard you mention the kids were with him.

Laura: Yeah. We have two boys, Nicholas and Nathaniel. I'm hoping the three of them can make a trip up here before I go there for Thanksgiving.

Dani: Soooo......how bad did you get it from the "church basement ladies" at your previous stops?

Laura: Actually, it was pretty peaceful. I was serving the church in a classic "pastors's wife" position, overseeing Christian Education, and the boys came along at I guess the right times so I wasn't getting questions from them about that subject. I check off all the marks one would seek in a next-generation WELCA woman, but now being in a solo position, without Jared and the boys here, I am readying myself for the kind of slagging that I understand some of Marc's students got last night.

Dani: Apparently, those women also had a couple of thoughts about me.

Laura: I look at you and I don't see what they can criticize other than being jealous of your public demeanor. You have tremendous fashion sense, as Rev. Bailey said last night during our little confab outside the ballroom with Marc and the other college-based leaders. You own your figure and don't try to hide it from view by wearing over-sized everything. You're cute as hell. You're already fairly accomplished for your youth based on what I remember Marc telling me in introducing you.

Dani: From what Erin told me, the age gap got brought up, as well as my owning what God gave me for anatomy. I waited to tell Marc about that until this morning, as we were both a little lit up last night and didn't make it ten feet inside the front door before his pent-up lust was unleashed.

Laura: Oooooooo......man very much likes your body, I take it. Jared isn't as frisky as that, at least without some overt encouragement. Onto something Marc brought up at the end of coffee hour, which he also said last night. Is he serious about pounding the pulpit on Wednesday in response to the "Minnesota Nice" actions from the dinner as well as sending out something for the Bishop to include with the bulletins this week?

Dani: If he said it twice, you dang well better believe he is going to act on it. Surprised he didn't light a bigger fire during coffee hour than he did.

Laura: Hmmm. Might want to schedule a visit to Trinity with Paul on Wednesday if the potential for Marc to go overboard is there. By the way, dude can PREACH! Never heard someone defend the innocent like that or take such jabs at those who stir up trouble.

Dani: You haven't seen what he can do in front of a campus governing body. His political science background makes him highly-valued by members of student government and the way he acts offended if you don't see the logic of his point-of-view is quite funny. I know Marc and Jared and Kirk Laing, who's the pastor of the church Erin and her parents attend in Michigan, all fashion themselves as Buddy Hackett in a collar. What is the most outrageous thing your man has done in front of one of his congregations?

Laura: He decided to do a sermon on the Fruit of the Spirit in costume, combining the Fruit of the Loom characters into one outfit. The kids in the pews I'm sure enjoyed it, but I had to cover my face first to keep from laughing, then to hide the slight bit of embarrassment I was feeling. Marc?

Dani: Every other week, he seems to up the farce factor, so I'm going to give you his most recent stunt. Three weeks ago, we were at Trinity's homecoming dance. Marc had been asked to MC and DJ it and he had his nephew Matt helping him. Well, he left the stage and exited the room, leaving Matt at the controls. Following some remarks from the residence hall's director, Matt goes into a Michael Buffer introduction of himself. Following that, he started "Also Sprach Zarathustra" and Marc walked through the back doors of Tietjen's community room wearing a feathered robe. About three steps in, he did a 360 spin and yelled out, "WOOOOOOOOOO!" If you don't know who he was imitating, ask Jared as I'm sure any guy growing up in the 80s through mid-90s would recognize the person.

Laura: Remember, I have an older brother, and he was a bit of fan of WWF and WCW back then, so I know EXACTLY who it is. I hope you didn't have to run and hide after that.

Dani: Nah. I'm used to his over-the-top public persona, which sometimes can be endearing and at other times infuriating. He never acts out of malice, but there are times when you can't get him to turn off the funny.

Laura: Like when Jared and Kirk get together, or Jared and Josh, or him and several others from his LSM days.

The pair finished off their mimosas and left the restaurant. After exchanging phone numbers, the two of them hugged and left Bay View for their next stops of the day.


	61. Come Together

The first task on Marc's agenda this busy Monday was to pen his letter to the synod's parishes chiding them over the attitudes exhibited by its leaders in women's ministry toward the church's younger and more professional members.

Fellow Lutherans,

At the synod's Reformation Day dinner on October 26th, a night that was meant to highlight the improved status of women in the church and society as a whole, I was made privy to remarks that show we have made little if any progress in making 21st Century Lutheranism a more accepting place for those who didn't grow up in the tradition and those for whom the status quo does not fill their spiritual needs. The insidiousness of backbiting, gossiping, and playing "Minnesota Nice" with those who have the talent, imagination, and desire to take up the torch from you with failing hands and lead us as a denomination into our fourth decade of existence MUST be stamped out and must be stamped out NOW! There is NO excuse for criticizing anyone in our midst for things that do not matter in the long run. I am personally offended by these actions as a number of women who are near and dear to me were victims of them. At a time when we STILL don't have enough qualified rostered leaders to fill the church's demand for them, shunting half our membership's desire to follow God's call with inconsequential, ridiculous, antiquated rules of "good order" and "morality", which are little more than a means of policing women's bodies, thoughts, and actions, is not what we should be doing. STAND UP and defend those in your midst who are being attacked. Empower the women in your congregations to be who they are, love who they wish, and act how they desire. Consider this a stern comeuppance and right your ships before we start seeing further declines in attendance, membership, and resources that might bring the curtain down on some of your houses of worship.

Deacon Marc Schmidt  
Chaplain, Trinity Lutheran University

Satisfied with this draft and knowing others might wish to sign on or add to it, he sent it off to Bishop Emerson, Alex Bailey, and several others in the synod who had requested copies of the letter. Following that, he shifted his focus to preparing for this evening's introductory rehearsal for the Christmas Eve service on December 8th.

**********

With ten days until their presentation before the Faculty Senate to petition for the inclusion of PhyEd 382 and PhyEd 383 in the 2020-2021 course catalog, Dani and Marc spent the afternoon laying out the subject matter and plugging in the feedback they received from Sarah, Michelle, Steph, and Peter on Saturday.

Marc: Each semester has 14 weeks in it, so we would be splitting up the material across 28 weeks of classes. Most likely, this will end up being a night class, so we're talking 28 sessions of 2 1/2 hours for instruction, in-class discussion, and mini-projects. The original design of the module was for 22 sessions of six hours each, with two sessions being optional attendance and a couple of work days included. What would you say was your total hour commitment to complete the module, from in-service time to meetings to homework?

Dani: We'd meet once a week for two hours, plus another six days of in-service which were counted as six hours each. That's 72+36, making 108. The outside work was probably around that, as I'd be doing something each week toward the group projects and my core partner project.

Marc: So the in-class time was 108 hours, which coincides with what the year-long seminar would be when you subtract out the 24 hours of class time for the two optional days and the two on-site work days. The two courses here will only add up to 70 hours of in-class time, which means the students will need to spend more time outside the classroom on the work and we will need to tighten up the syllabus. It also means the students will have to come to class prepared on that week's subject matter, which isn't really required for either the in-service model or the symposium model.

Dani: How do the projects get split up? With us, there was no significant break during the school year to provide a dividing point like there will be between the two courses.

Marc: In the symposium model, the dividing line would be the holidays. Only one of the four group projects comes due in the first course, and the due date on that will be before Fall break. The core partner one carries over into the second course. Most of the book learning happens in the first half, with the second half more application and practice.

Dani: Our instructor spread out the projects over the course of the school year. What's the rationale for backloading the big projects into the Spring semester course?

Marc: I honestly don't know why I spaced things out that way when I originally designed it. Moving the module into an academic setting, it's likely that the four can be spaced out differently, similar to how you did it through Shorewood. You have a better grasp than I of how things actually work taking it, so I'm willing to let you play around with how it's set up to make it work better with upper-division and graduate students as opposed to the out-of-school demographic for whom it was originally targeted.

Dani: Pre-reqs?

Marc: Upper division standing, completion of Intro to Coaching and one Theory of Coaching course. Experiential Education (either prior to or concurrent with PE 382) if not an Ed major or student-athlete.

Dani: I'll spend tomorrow and Wednesday morning pulling everything together to have a proposal ready for you to read Wednesday after worship.

Marc: Thanks, love. Got the letter to Paul done this morning. Little worried to check my email or voicemail in case he isn't too fond of the tone I took in it.

Dani: Wasn't Laura planning to talk to him this morning about your conversation with her, Rachel, and the rest on Saturday night? I'm sure she'll also bring in what you said yesterday as well. She's thinking about having him come up here with her on Wednesday for service.

Marc: That would be helpful. Have you read your letter from Danielle yet?

Dani: I was going to do it when we got back to your place on Saturday night, but primal urge took over once we got inside.

Marc: The liquor, my built-up desire after seeing you in your outfit, and the need to prove that I disagreed with what was said about you added up. I hope I wasn't too rough with you.

Dani: Having you go full throttle into me is something I've been wanting, but I also want you to be able to enjoy yourself and finish the job, so I haven't brought that up. I tease you with the dirty talk and saying "fuck me silly", but I didn't expect you to do it. Let's go back to your office and read Danielle's words to me together. If it's good, I want to be able to share my happiness with you. If it's not, then I'll need your consolation probably.

Marc and Dani made the short walk up from the basement of Rincker Hall to the first floor of Luther and proceeded to his office. Marc shut and locked the door, then the two of them sat on the couch. Dani opened the envelope and pulled out Danielle's letter to her.

Dani,

I hope this letter is never read, because that would mean I won the battle against the meningioma. If by some stroke of fate you ARE reading this, prepare yourself for an emotional roller coaster as these will probably be some of the hardest words you'll ever be told, because they are also some of the hardest I'll ever write. In the midst of my condition, I have gone back-and-forth between what I understand is fact and what my suspicions tell me. One day I'll believe Marc is secretly lining up my replacement or worse, and the next I'll realize he's showing me I'm first and foremost on his mind (outside of work, that is, since nothing matters more to him than that as it's the means of feeding that overgrown ego of his). Laying here with the side effects of the oral chemo, I have had to consider my mortality, which means coming to terms with the fact that I may not be here forever. I have to step outside myself and try to imagine what life for Marc will be like if I am gone.

I alternate between hating you for the connection you and Marc have that is noticeable to anyone in your collective presence and loving you for being part of that inner circle he needs to support me as well as hold himself together. It rankles me something fierce that your friendship with him is very similar to ours 20-some years ago, one that led to marriage and then a comfortable existence. It also ticks me off a little that you seem capable of accepting his need to be both good and evil, whereas I could never give in to his bloodthirsty quest for power, adoration, and obedience. In the end, I have to remember that this letter will only be read by you if I die from the tumor, so I have to look toward what I would wish for him in the aftermath of my departure.

I know at the time of this writing, you and Coach Hawthorne are together. However, should that not last and should you happen to have some attraction to men, I would hope that you'd consider Marc as a possible suitor despite the sizable age gap. You fit his type of woman. Slightly larger than average. Sports-crazy. Cute and cherubic. You also are an improvement on me in a couple of ways. You're definitely more feminine. You're taller. You "need" him. Take my husband, please, and give him the kind of life and joy that I sadly am no longer there to provide him.

Danielle

After wiping away a couple of tears, Dani placed the letter on the end table and curled up into Marc, laying there speechless for a bit. Marc stroked her hair and gave her the emotional space to form a response to what they had read.

Dani: I'm at a loss for words at the moment. These past few weeks have been so trying on an emotional level. Telling Dad about you. Dealing with Mom and my aunt being pissy about us. Living out some of my deepest fantasies and desires with you. Being raked over the coals on Friday and Saturday. Now this letter from Danielle telling me I should give you a chance. It's all a bit much.

Marc: You're not having second thoughts about us, are you?

Dani: No. THAT is the one thing that feels completely normal to me. Being in your arms, feeling your love for me, seeing you show that love through public action and physical desire, I'm sure I'm where I'm supposed to be. Having Danielle's blessing if you will only confirms that our being together is right.

Marc looked softly at Dani and said to her, "Whatever comes, I will stand behind you, stand by you, stand up for you. I will treat you like the princess that you are, and I will never allow you to doubt my commitment to you. I'm not a perfect man, as you know, but I would never in a million years want to hurt you. I still think we need to be a little cautious about publicly acknowledging our relationship, if only to build up a bit more grit to face off against the naysayers."

Dani: Dinner before or after rehearsal?

Marc: Let's go with after. I'm not planning to go longer than an hour tonight. Ideas?

Dani: Perkins?

Marc: Sounds good to me. Know what?

Dani: What?

Marc: I love you.

Dani crawled up and kissed Marc. "I love you, too."

The two of them got up from the couch and, after grabbing the score and a handful of Holden Evening Service books, left Marc's office for Bonhoeffer Chapel and the opening run-through for this year's Christmas Eve service.


	62. Shake Down The Thunder

Over the past two days, word made its way around the synod about the fireworks expected at Wednesday's worship service. Bishop Emerson and Laura Capshaw arrived on campus just after 9am, meeting first with President Garrett and David Strasser, then Tom Sinclair before joining up with Marc, Karina, and Katelyn in the sacristy in Bonhoeffer Chapel. After alerting them to their presence, the pair went out into the sanctuary and walked up the aisle to the front doors, eager to greet those attending today's celebration of Martin Luther's tacking of the 95 Theses to the church door in Wittenberg on October 31, 1517. As the hour drew closer to Noon, the chapel began filling, with some surprise guests in attendance. Dani and Cali entered with Erin and Steph, with Dennis Dillon joining them just before service began. Joe and Paula Rollins made the trip up from Waterford to be there for their eldest daughter's first experience assisting with worship and Communion. Rachel Belding was seated with Alyssa, Abby, and Megan Oliphant, who was making a rare appearance on-campus this semester. Following the chiming of the bells to signal the Noon hour was at hand, Marc stepped to the rostrum and began with announcements.

Marc: Welcome, one and all, to worship at Trinity Lutheran University. I see a number of familiar faces in the pews as well as some special guests. I am pleased to have Bishop Paul Emerson in attendance today along with Deacon Laura Capshaw, who transferred to the Greater Milwaukee Synod at the beginning of October and is working in tandem with several synods and the Churchwide offices in Chicago in the area of Lutheran education. Tonight, the women's volleyball team faces Lakeland University in the semifinals of the conference tournament. First serve is at 7pm in Buuck Field House. Let us rise, settle our hearts before God, and prepare to enter His presence.

Marc recited the Brief Order of Confession and Forgiveness, then Karina sang the Kyrie and read the Old and New Testament passages for the day. After Marc read the day's Gospel's lesson, Luke 18:9-14, he said a quick prayer before launching into his homily.

Marc: Today is our congregation's remembrance of when Martin Luther took it on himself to tell the Catholic Church to shove their asinine rules straight up where the sun don't shine and gave a new means of grace to the church writ large. I had prepared a sermon that focused on how we are in the midst of a modern-day Reformation in the ELCA and at Trinity related to the status of women in the church, but some events over the weekend caused me to revisit today's Gospel reading and determine that, for all the positive happening at the front of the house and outside these walls, we're still dealing with an intransigent status quo wanting to keep the day-to-day of the church in the 1950s. At our synod's Reformation Day dinner on Saturday night, a number of Trinity students were the victims of some uncharitable comments from others in attendance. When I compared those doing the sniping with those being sniped, the two individuals Jesus brought up in this parable seemed to be accurate representations of them. For the purpose of explanation, I will change the gender and "job title" of the two characters.

The first one we meet is a Pharisee, which in modern times could be a person who is "kept" or provided for, whose focus is on the spiritual rather than the physical, and who not only abides by their interpretation of the Law but also seeks to place that same standard on others. In our church, that would be the equivalent of the high leaders of women's ministry. They continually believe that the generations after them are hedonistic, unfaithful, and too driven by temporal things and use their positions to maintain a culture of quiet obedience to tradition and personal piety. The other character, a tax collector, I like to compare to a public defender, serving in a position where she sees the worst of society yet believes that justice will not be brought to them without people standing in the breach on their behalf. As the two of them approach the altar to receive Communion, the first haughtily says to herself, "I am glad I'm not like the women of my daughter's generation, mischievous, overly ambitious, worried about the newest trend in fashion. Especially social service workers, who suck at the teat of the public trough and associate with the lowest elements of society not in an effort to lift them to self-sufficiency but rather to help their clients circumvent responsibility for themselves." Meanwhile, the second, in a meek and unsure voice, says "Bless me for I am one of Your children, doing what You have called me to do for the betterment of society." Who do you think is more in line with what God requires of us? Which one is loving their neighbor as themselves?

I have a few not-so-kind words for those who chose to subject my students, my friends, and my goddaughter to the worst form of criticism, backbiting. HOW DARE YOU invent faults in others and choose to defend your OWN judgmental legalism, which harms people FAR WORSE than a "wrong" choice of outfit for a semi-formal event! The parents of one of our students were with me that night when our synod's WELCA president called for a re-emphasis on Christian womanhood as expressed in Proverbs 31. Luckily, their daughter was not one of those on the receiving end of such vitriolic slander. We need to STOP holding women back from being their true selves. We need to offer NEW ways for them to serve in the church, ones that go beyond crafting and educating and small-time charitable endeavors. I'm a solutions guy. You want some, WELCA, bring it! I welcome the chance to stand up for those who you seek to denigrate because you have a wrong-headed belief that THEIR actions and choices are a reflection on YOUR parenting skills and righteousness. A-MEN!

**********

Lunch Bunch was heavily-attended, with Deacon Capshaw leading the discussion until Marc arrived from Bonhoeffer. Upon his arrival, the chaplain was greeted by a standing ovation and shows of affection from several of his students.

Marc: Maybe I need to do that more often if this is how people respond.

Paul Emerson: Not TOO often, Marc. You know the story of the boy who cried wolf, right?

Marc: Yes. This screed had built up over a few weeks, with events of the last week or so making it imperative that I shut down the gossiping and opinion-giving of the sharks.

Joe Rollins: What you did today, I couldn't have gotten away with in my church. I WILL make note of the letter you sent on to me during Sunday's announcements.

Cameron: Do you want to review my footage before I hand it to Tori?

Marc: I don't think that's necessary. Paul, do you want Cam to send you a link to the video once it's online?

Paul: Have him send it to the synod's multimedia person, Tracy Averett.

Laura Capshaw: I thought your beat-down on Sunday was something. Today's was a whole lot more than that. Oh, before I forget, Jared and the boys are coming up next weekend. Any chance you're free one of the two nights?

Marc: Don't think there's anything on my calendar. Need someone to keep Nick and Nate occupied?

Laura: Know someone?

Marc: I've got a few options. Drop me an email with some specifics and I'll work on getting you a sitter from my pool of possibles.

Dani: Might want to send me a copy as well so *I* know what's going on in case Mad Dog doesn't tell me.

Dani wove the fingers of her right hand through the back of Marc's left and pulled them into her lap. Marc rubbed her leg with his hand and squeezed her thigh.

Dennis: Before we get together on Saturday, I think you should know that I'm won over. Sitting with Danielle watching you pretty much tear a new one into those in Ladies' Aid answered two questions for me. First, I saw how you would defend my daughter if she were subject to the kind of remarks others have made to her in the past, and second, I saw behind the mask to see your true feelings for her, even though you never mentioned her by name.

Marc: Thank you, Dennis. Having another advocate for us in the battle to win Theresa's approval is helpful.

Erin: Mr. Dillon, I was one of the handful that got unfairly slagged, as was Dani. What Marc said on Sunday, what he said today, what the synod's parishioners will read this upcoming Sunday, all of it is from the heart. You get between him and someone he loves, be prepared to get your head handed to you.

Paul: I'll sign the letter you sent me, albeit with a little less heat, and get it out tomorrow.

Laura: I'll sign as well, as I have a vested interest in seeing our perception of women of faith change to include vocation and occupation in addition to the more traditional areas.

Marc (to Katelyn): Should some of our friends be planning a trip to Aurora on Saturday?

Katelyn: I'm hopeful. We beat Lakeland in five games Homecoming weekend and we're playing even better now. I wouldn't want to be whoever would face us in the final, God willing.

Alyssa: Anyone planning to go to the game?

Abby: I'll be there, of course!

Alyssa: Yes, of course.

Paula Rollins: Joe and I will be.

Marc: I'll be there.

The lunch gathering broke up a little after 2:00. Paul and Laura followed Marc back to his office, while Dani returned to Rincker to finish up the proposal for next Thursday's Faculty Senate meeting. Alyssa went to the athletic center to get her gear for hockey practice, with others heading back to their rooms or elsewhere on campus.

**********

Buuck Field House was packed for tonight's NACC women's volleyball semifinal between Trinity and Lakeland. In the stands, Abby was sitting with Joe and Paula Rollins ready to cheer on Katelyn, while Erin, Steph, and Alyssa held seats for several others who were planning to attend (Marc, Dani, Laura, Tori, and Kayla). Back in the locker room, Jamie was about to give her team some final words of wisdom.

Jamie: Tonight, you have the opportunity to continue down the road that hopefully leads to Cedar Rapids and a Division III national championship. Last year was a struggle, but with the struggle came a hunger this year to prove that this team of twelve magnificent women had the ability to match what their predecessors did in 2017, when both Carthage and Concordia-Wisconsin won their conference tournaments and went on to face each other in the first round of the NCAAs. The crowd tonight will be bigger than any you've played before until now. Use that energy to help us get out to a fast start and let's sweep the Muskies. They forced us to five sets less than four weeks ago. They're not doing it tonight. We need to not let them hang around and drag us into overtime to finish off sets like the three we won against them on the 5th. First serve, first block, first set, first kill. Thunder on three. One, two, three.

ALL: THUNDER!

**********

Following a by-the-book 25-20 first set win for the home team, Trinity got out to a 19-11 lead in Set Two. With the adrenaline running high throughout the front line, a series of unforced errors allowed the Muskies to close the gap to 19-15 before Jamie called a time-out.

Jamie: You're overplaying right now. We have control of this set. Focus on getting side-outs and slowly but surely closing in on 25. Maybe they tense up and we end the set sooner than 25-20.

The players returned to the floor and set up for Lakeland's next serve. Veronica drove a spike off the outside of the Muskies' outside hitter's right arm, sending the ball caroming out-of-bounds and returning serve to the Thunder. The next six points came as a result of side-outs, giving Trinity the ball at 23-18. A misplayed set by Lakeland provided Trinity with the opportunity to serve for a two-sets-to-none lead. Sydney wasted little time in bringing that to fruition as her float serve clipped a small portion of the back line upon landing, resulting in a 25-18 win.

Lakeland came out for the third set determined to force the match past the halftime break. Utilizing their "hang in there" mentality that pushed the Thunder to the limit in their conference match, the Muskies went on a pair of short runs to stay within one or two points of their opponents. An unforced error on match point by Whitney tied up the set at 24. Lakeland landed an ace on their next serve to take the lead 25-24. Facing set point, Elise called the others on the floor into a short huddle while the Muskies made a substitution.

Elise: This is where Coach didn't want us to be, having a set drag out into overtime. If we play it straight-up, it could be 31 or 32 before one side ends up getting ahead by 2 and we possibly go into the break worn-down. On the other hand, if they take this next point, they go in uplifted and we go in with a fair bit of stamina left to crush them in Set Four. Something to think about.

The players broke the huddle and returned to their positions on the floor. A hard serve from Lakeland skimmed off Veronica's arm and went toward the bench area. Whitney, having the best angle to retrieve it, stood agog as Alanna scrambled to keep the ball alive. Lakeland picked up the point to win the set, 26-24, which sent both teams to their locker rooms for the 10-minute halftime break. Once her players were seated. Jamie spoke.

Jamie: We're in good shape. Took the first two sets in workmanlike fashion. Let them chain together a few points early in Set Three which allowed them to be in position to force OT. Although I'm not really pleased by the effort I saw on the last point from some players, this might work out to our advantage. Leave NOTHING to chance now. Dominate from the first point and make it your mission to end this match in as few points as possible. That is all. I'll see you back on the floor in five minutes.

Jamie left the locker room and returned to the field house floor, giving her team a chance to rally one another into the kind of performance she requested. During the intermission, Laura asked Marc about the state of affairs in the athletic department competition-wise.

Marc: The women's basketball team made the conference tournament final in March, but outside that it's really a work in progress as a lot of the teams are still heavy with underclassmen and inexperienced older players. Women's soccer just missed earning a NACC tournament berth this fall, women's lacrosse lost out on a tie-breaker for one in the spring, and men's soccer lost on Sunday in the first round of their conference tournament. Nothing yet to compare to the level of success your alma mater has had.

Laura: So if the volleyball team wins tonight and then wins the final, it will secure Trinity's first NCAA tournament berth as an institution?

Marc: That'd be correct. Now, Concordia-Wisconsin and Carthage both made the NCAAs in 2017, but that was with a wholly different set of players than you see in front of you. I think only one of the twelve is a junior and would have played for either of those teams two years ago.

Action on the floor was back underway with Lakeland falling behind 4-1 early on in Set Four. Katelyn was back serving and continued Trinity's run of points to push the lead out to 9-1 before the Muskies' coach called a timeout. Things did not improve for the visitors, with the Thunder taking leads of 13-3 and 17-4 before regaining serve at 18-6. With Claire now in the server's position, the match ended in quick order, as the Thunder took the fourth set, 25-6.

On the floor afterwards, Abby stood with Katelyn's parents and checked on the score from the Aurora/Benedictine match while waiting for their superstar to come over.

Abby (to Joe): We're going to Aurora on Saturday. Swept Benedictine. How did we do against them in our conference match?

Joe: That was one of the team's two conference losses, the other being to Benedictine. If I remember what Katelyn said after arriving home following the game, the Spartans had both a skill and experience advantage on them and it showed in how the Thunder fell away at the end of each set. Scores were 25-21, 25-18, 25-19 I believe.

Joe and Paula greeted their daughter with hugs and words of congratulations, then let Abby have a moment to give her two cents to the freshman.

Abby: Another amazing night out of you. I didn't know you had such a killer serve.

Katelyn: At Waterford, I was the main point-getter so I had to be good at blocking, killing, setting, and serving in order to provide the team with the ability to win matches against stronger opposition. Here, I can concentrate more on scoring at the net than needing a strong service game.

Abby looked behind her at Paula, then stood on her toes and lightly kissed Katelyn.

Joe: Well, I didn't expect to see THAT tonight, but I better get used to it.

Paula socked her husband in the arm before telling Katelyn that she should catch up with her team. Kayla had found Alanna after the match and the two of them were engaged in a bit of a snog when Katelyn passed them. She intervened and dragged Alanna with her toward the locker room, promising Kayla she could have her back after the post-game talk.


	63. Going For Broke

With Trinity Lutheran's first-ever conference championship within its grasp, Gavin chose to fund a pair of fan buses to accompany the Thunder women's volleyball team to Aurora on Saturday. At 8am, a small pep rally for the team was held in the two parking lots just north of Buuck Field House. After some introductory remarks from the athletic director, Jamie spoke to the crowd.

Jamie: Coming into this year, I was hoping we'd be able to place top four in the conference and host a game in the NACC tournament. That expectation changed after we went 8-2 in our first three tournaments, which included winning the Trinity Invitational. Conference didn't start off well as we dropped our opener to Benedictine, but a series of wins after that put us in prime position to compete for a first-round bye. When we went to Aurora on October 9th, the team was pretty wiped-out from a hard-fought five-set win four days earlier over Lakeland. The Spartans' experience eventually wore us out and we fell in straight sets. Some might say we should be happy to be in the final, but I for one am not. This team of brave and exceptional women have worked too hard this year for us to go to Aurora and use this match as a learning experience for 2020. We're better than we were four weeks ago, we're stronger, and we will prove that today when we bring home our school's first conference title in any sport, fourteen months after playing our first matches as the Thunder. Before we load up and start the journey to a championship, I want to let our captain, Elise Tyson, say a few words as the only player on this team with experience in this kind of match.

Elise: Thank you, Coach. As she said, I am the only player still here from the 2017 team that won Concordia's final volleyball championship. At that time, I was a little-used freshman and was happy for the opportunity to play a role in helping us get to the NCAA tournament. Now, I am the team captain and the one expected to set the on-floor tempo and mindset. The NACC pre-season poll had us placed sixth, mostly due to the conference having a significant amount of "dead weight", according to a coach who shall remain nameless. We knocked that expectation right out of the park, sitting at 18-4 and three sets away from a berth in the NCAA tournament. I don't want to be returning to campus later lamenting our performance, so EVERYONE, bring your passion, your desire, your fire, and help us finish the job today!

The players began making their way to their bus, passing between two lines composed of parents, loved ones, friends, and fans. Before Jamie and her assistant coaches, Adrienne Callen (Kara's sister-in-law) and Rob Shondell, boarded, she invited Dani and Laura to ride with the team.

After a half-hour or so on the road, Jamie started picking her special guests' brains for how to handle the moment and gain perhaps some outsider perspective on the task at hand.

Jamie: Laura, I've been in this spot before, but for some reason I can't seem to shake the butterflies.

Laura: What has you most nervous?

Jamie: I think it's the whole situation where the team isn't ready for the step up in intensity needed to beat Aurora and I'm not prepared for the job of keeping their spirits up if the match begins slipping on them.

Laura: Have you done everything you can to put them in the best position possible for today's match?

Jamie: I believe so, but there's this feeling as though I'm going to have to "do more" to get them to the finish line first.

Dani: Looking at your team, who do you need to have top-level performances to give them a chance to win?

Jamie: Claire, our server queen. Elise, our only upperclassman and the only player who's been on this stage before. And our all-everything player, Katelyn.

Dani: Of those three, which one gives you the biggest advantage against the Spartans?

Jamie: I'd have to say Katelyn. Having a huge server only helps you if you can get points off it through aces, service winners, and unforced errors. Elise's experience and playmaking can be easily countered by them. With Katelyn able to do pretty much everything at a high level, she's a X factor in combating the disciplined play of the opposition.

Dani: Then play to that. Focus your game plan on putting her in spots where her ability can shine and where she neutralizes or negates what Aurora wants to do.

Jamie: I might have to gamble a bit to keep us in contention. If I go by the book, we probably don't do better than a four-set loss, and I don't believe we're in line for an NCAA at-large berth, of which there are 20 in the 64-team field. Therefore, I have to risk us losing bad in order to try and win the match. Now......how do I want to do that?

Jamie plugged in her earbuds and tuned out the resounding chatter around her as she went through a few options in her mind for how to gain an advantage using Katelyn's wide set of skills against perceived weaknesses in Aurora's game. Thinking she had hit on something that could be useful, she jotted down a few notes and tucked them away for when she would determine her rotation for the first set.

**********

The first set of the NACC championship match played out very much like each of the three sets between Trinity and Aurora in their October 9th battle, with the Spartans using a couple of late multi-point runs to distance themselves from the Thunder on the way to a 25-19 win. Between sets, Jamie changed up her rotation, going to the Big Three front line of Katelyn, Alanna, and Veronica and having Katelyn start directly in front of Claire, so the pair would serve back-to-back. The adjustment allowed the visitors to take a slight lead late in the set with Sydney serving at 24-23. Her float serve clipped the tape, but didn't go over, evening things at 24. An ace by Aurora put them on set point, causing Jamie to use a timeout.

Jamie: We are SOCLOSE to having this match level. Concentrate. Claire is up if we can get the serve back. Let's do this!

The Thunder re-took the floor and prepared for the Spartans' serve. Elise and Katelyn generally switch places once the serve is taken (Elise going to the middle and Katelyn out to the right) but were unable to do so because the ball was struck directly at Alanna in the left front position. Her pass to Elise came up short, which resulted in a lower set than desired and led to Katelyn's kill attempt being stuffed by two of Aurora's front line players, giving them a two-sets-to-none lead with a 26-24 win.

The third set was a slug fest as both teams played somewhat desperate volleyball attempting to win it. At 23-23, Jamie pulled Katelyn from the match, replacing her with Carmen Marotta. With Claire serving for the third set at 24-23, her offering sailed long and passed the ball back to Aurora even at 24. Elise called the troops together and implored them to focus on side-outting so that they could get the ball back to Claire with another chance to end the set. The two teams exchanged points until Aurora scored on a serve to take a 27-26 lead and giving them their first chance to win the match. A scrappy effort won the Thunder the next point, after which the teams swapped side-outs on the next six serves, giving Claire the ball at 30-30. Jamie used her second timeout of Set Three to settle her team down and encourage them to use this "second chance" to finish off the set and get them to the locker room for the halftime break. Claire drove a hard serve down the line which was muffed by Aurora's left back player, making the score 31-30. After moving back a few steps from the end line, Claire ran forward and delivered her "Crater" serve, landing the ball in its desired location, the gap between all six of the other team's players. With that, the Thunder took Set Three, 32-30, and sprinted off the court for the ten-minute intermission. Jamie huddled with Adrienne and Rob before entering the locker room to address the players, running past them her plans for Sets Four and Five.

Jamie: We need the two big guns somewhat fresh in Set Five if we're going to pull this out. I want to spell both of them a fair bit and rope-a-dope Aurora into the kind of set we just finished with them. Hopefully we can finish it off a little sooner than 32.

Rob: So more Whitney and Carmen, with Elise staying in to serve when she gets to that spot?

Jamie: I think so.

Adrienne: Normal rotation would have both come out at the same time and re-enter at the same time.

Jamie: Right, but I think we can make it work if use Whitney on the back line in place of Katelyn and Carmen up front in Claire's place. I'm also going to set the rotation so Sydney serves in Alanna's spot when we bring Nora in for her at left front. I said on the way here we might have to gamble some to win today, and this is probably our best chance of winning the tiebreaker set.

The coaching staff entered and Jamie communicated to her team the rotation for Set Four and her plan if they took the match to a fifth (stack Claire, Katelyn, and Sydney to serve back-to-back-to-back in the rotation). The players, believing in their coach's "roll the dice" approach, threw out some encouragement to one another, then headed back out to the court.

In the stands, a handful of the Thunder faithful chatted as the fourth set got underway.

Peter Montoya: Interesting rotation for this set. Claire and Elise are both in and set up to serve back-to-back, with Sydney presumably before the two of them when her spot gets to Position 1.

Paula Rollins: I don't know if I'd jump to that conclusion. Sydney can be moved from her starting position to serve for any of the players. It's like the designated runner in baseball and softball.

Dani: You might be onto something, Paula. A few of us were talking on the bus ride down and Jamie said she might have to gamble some to put the team in position to win the match. Looks like she is doing some of that, sitting Katelyn toward the end of Set Three and not sticking with her standard rotation.

With the set at 5-3 in favor of Trinity, Nora came in for Alanna, then Sydney moved back to serve in her place, thus coming up behind Claire and Elise in the service rotation. A couple of points picked up by the freshman moved the margin to 7-3 and caused Aurora to call a timeout. At 8-5, both Katelyn and Claire were lifted. The set was tied at 11 when the two of them retook their positions. Claire proceeded to give the Thunder a 14-11 lead before Aurora got a side-out. Service points by Sydney put Trinity ahead, 18-13, a lead that would vanish over the next three rotations, with the score 22-21 when Claire returned to the server's position. A service winner and an ace made it 24-21 for the Thunder. Again back to launch her "Crater" serve, she mistimed her jump and put the ball straight into the net. Three consecutive kills by the Spartans put them on championship point once again at 25-24, causing Jamie to use a timeout.

Jamie: One question. Elise, do you think you can serve out the set if we get the ball back? If not, I'll have to put in someone else as I do NOT want a repeat of Set Three.

Elise: I have to. I told our family, friends, and supporters we would in effect win this match, so it's time to step up and make it so.

Jamie: OK. Sydney, set Alanna and we go on 2. MAKE SURE you are nowhere close to the attack line, otherwise they win.

The Aurora server sent over a lofting ball which Sydney was able to receive two feet behind the attack line. Her pass to Alanna was slammed down past an unsuspecting Spartan front line to even the match at 25. When Elise moved back to serve, Claire told her, "Don't try to be Superwoman on your serves. Get them in and trust the front line to do their job. Two points and we go to a fifth set." Elise settled her nerves, got her breathing under control, then sent over a standard serve. Both teams had chances to end the point, but exceptional digging from the two liberos kept the rally alive. A little too much adrenaline on the Spartans' middle hitter's part sent her spike long, giving the Thunder a chance to close out the fourth set. Elise's next serve was handled by Aurora's defensive specialist, but the resultant set was deemed to be a double hit as it did not contact both hands of the Spartan player at the same time, giving the point to Trinity and leveling the match at two sets a piece.

During the three-minute break between sets, Jamie worked on her rotation card, trying to figure out where exactly to place her triple threat of servers so one of them would be in position to close out the match. After several diagrams were sketched, the coach settled on the following:

\-----------Veronica------Elise----------Alanna  
\-----------Sydney-------Claire----------Katelyn

As the Thunder took the floor and got set in their places, a murmur went through the Thunder's supporters section.

Kayla: It's the same six that usually start, but a bit mixed-up. Any idea why Coach Krueger is sending them out like this?

Carl Tyson: This is her big serve lineup, more or less. How she has the back line set up is a bit of a gamble, but it looks like it will guarantee having the three of them serving in a row late in a short set. Alanna probably comes out and Sydney will replace on service whoever comes in for her when she moves to the front line.

The deciding set started with Katelyn running off three points before a side-out got Aurora on the scoreboard. Sydney added a point of her own to make the score 5-1. Following a serve sent out-of-bounds by Aurora, their coach called timeout with the score 10-6 in favor of Trinity.

Jamie: This is EXACTLY where I wanted us to be when I set up our three best servers in succession. Five points. That's all we need. The other team is reeling. Do you know why they called a timeout at this point? Because their coach knows we can end the match on Claire's serve, that's how good she can be. If she doesn't finish them off, Katelyn gets a shot, and if she doesn't do it, Sydney will have a chance. Stay within yourself. Do NOT let them drag this out. Go big or go home. Thunder on three. One, two, three.

ALL: THUNDER!

Claire stepped to the back line with the ball and drove a bomb straight for the Aurora libero's torso. The player was able to scramble the ball off to a teammate, starting a rally that would end with a block on Alanna's kill attempt. A poorly-struck serve by the Spartans gave the ball back to Trinity with them ahead 11-7. With Katelyn at the serve, the Thunder reeled off three successive winners to stand at 14-7 and one point from the conference title and automatic NCAA tournament berth. Before her next serve, the recently-named NACC Freshman Player of the Year looked up into the stands. Seeing her parents, girlfriend, friends, and mentors on their feet in anticipation, she raised the ball to them, then struck a confident serve that was gobbled up by the opposition's libero. Sydney received the returned ball and bump-set it to Elise. The captain's decision to back-set the ball sent it over the net and it fell to the floor, making slight contact with the sideline.

Head referee: FWEE (point), FWEE (set), FWEE (match).

At the sound of the three whistles, Elise was engulfed by Veronica with Alanna and Sydney the next ones to her, followed by the Trinity bench and a small portion of their supporters' section. After a couple of minutes celebrating, the Thunder got in line to exchange handshakes with their most formidable of opponents. The new champions went to their bench and continued to congratulate each other while waiting for the post-match awards presentation to begin. A number of fans had left the bleachers and were now on the floor behind the two bench areas. When things were ready, NACC volleyball coordinator Joanne Corbin, athletic director at Rockford University, started the ceremony.

Joanne Corbin: Today's championship match showed the power of perseverance and taking risks when faced with long odds. A roster with eleven first or second-year players coming from two sets down against the unbeaten regular season champions to pull off an exciting five-set victory, it's the stuff of legends. Before we bring them forward to accept the conference championship trophy, we want to acknowledge their opponents. Will the Aurora Spartans come forward to receive your runners-up medals?

The Aurora players walked toward Corbin one at a time to receive their medals, then returned to their bench area.

Joanne Corbin: Now, will the 2019 NACC champion, the Trinity Lutheran University Thunder, come forward to receive your championship medals?

The Thunder players made their way forward and accepted their medals from Corbin, then walked behind her to await the rest of the award presentation.

Joanne Corbin: In a five-set match, there are usually several worthy candidates for Most Valuable Player, making it difficult to select one. Today's selection was easy, however, as this player scored seven of her team's fifteen points in the final set. The Most Valuable Player of the 2019 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference women's volleyball final is Katelyn Rollins from Trinity Lutheran University.

Katelyn was swarmed Alanna and Claire before stepping ahead and collecting her trophy from Corbin, taking a picture with her in the process. Following that, she handed it off to Adrienne Callen to place in the bench area, then walked back to join her teammates.

Joanne Corbin: Now, the part everyone has been waiting for. Will Elise Tyson, captain of the Trinity Lutheran University women's volleyball team, come forward to receive the NACC championship trophy?

Elise walked up and accepted the trophy from Joanne. She asked Claire and Katelyn to come ahead and stand on either side of her, then beckoned the rest of the Thunder players and staff to gather around them. On the count of three, Elise, Claire, and Katelyn lifted the trophy into the air to a resounding ovation from their supporters.

**********

Trinity Lutheran 3 Aurora 2 (19-25, 24-26, 32-30, 27-25, 15-7)


	64. The Rest Of The Story

Following the hecticness of Saturday's trip to Madison and a lazy Sunday at home by himself, Marc entered his office on Monday morning determined to connect the dots in his investigation of the athletic department by the time of Friday's Board of Trustees meeting and got down to cross-referencing his file on the alumni relations group with the audit from Alex Bailey and the redacted version of Lauren Heberlein's non-disclosure agreement with and severance package from the university. Having made a bit of headway on that by 10am, he checked his voicemail and found there were 11 messages left since he departed campus on Friday afternoon. A quick scan over his email inbox showed a long list of messages sent to him in the past 24 hours. As he was not in the mood nor the mental space to deal with what he expected was blow back from his missive in yesterday's worship bulletins, Marc chose to push off that task until after lunch and left his office to visit Ben Oliphant upstairs in the School of Education's part of Luther Hall.

Marc: Ben, got a few minutes?

Ben: Sure, Marc. What can I do for you?

Marc: First, Thursday's Faculty Senate meeting has our proposed two-course coaching seminar on the agenda. Has your school's curriculum committee decided yet if the courses can be taken for graduate credit and if they will be allowed to count toward completion of the second field experience for majors or those seeking teaching certification?

Ben: They meet on Wednesday. Leave it to educators to try and accomplish the impossible at the eleventh hour. In addition to your requests, they are also looking to propose a 3-12 major in some of the core content areas to match the hiring needs of schools with that configuration, like MacDowell and Golda Meir in MPS, as well as the K-12 private schools wanting to hire teachers that can cover a broader range of classes.

Marc: Interesting.....guess it's no different than offering K-12 majors in specialty areas and the 1-8 major with certification in one or more subject areas.

Ben: Thanks for inviting me to join you and the two Matts for the UW game with the men of Dani's family. I hope I was able to assuage any fears they had about you and her being together.

Marc: Dennis told me on Wednesday that I had won him over based on how I responded to the sniping done to her and some of my peer ministers at the Reformation Day dinner last Saturday. Steve has been fairly positive in accepting our relationship. The boys got a chance to pick up some tips, help, advice from Brent and Shawn that is probably more useful than getting it from us old goats. Onto my other thing. How did you handle your first holiday without Natalie?

Ben: Well, the crash happened the Thursday after Ash Wednesday, so it was only about six weeks from then until Easter. My parents and siblings were very good about both giving the three of us space if we needed it and including us with them if we wanted that. Yours is a pretty different situation.

Marc: Yeah. It'll be seven months since her death when Thanksgiving arrives, the remaining family I have is six hours away in the Twin Cities, and I have sort of moved on with someone, but the door isn't really open for us to spend the holiday together. Then there's Erin and Steph, who will be going back to the other side of the lake for those few days. Guess the best choice on my plate at the moment is going with Matt to Blaine.

Ben: What about doing a Friendsgiving the previous weekend? You'd have a chance to celebrate with the people closest to you and it wouldn't put any of them in the awkward position of being away from their nuclear families on the day itself.

Marc: I can't cook worth a lick. Danielle did all the cooking for the two of us and went all-out for our Thanksgiving meal as it was the one holiday of the two at the end of the year that we always did by ourselves.

Ben: How about Megan and I plan it, but host it at your place with your set of invitees?

Marc: OK. The list should end up being pretty easy. The Sweetest Day contingent plus my goofy nephew. As for anyone beyond that, take it up with the others, specifically Dani and Erin. This six-couple-plus-Matt group is a complete weaving together of Dani and I's inner circles. Erin, Steph, Matt, you, and Wil are who I'd consider my closest people here. For Dani, that'd be Michelle, Cali, and Sarah. Add in the significant others and you have that core group of 13.

Ben: Let me run it by Megan tonight, then she can contact Dani and Michelle tomorrow or Wednesday to start putting it together.

Marc: I should get back downstairs and get a little more work done on the athletic department investigation before I meet with my Super Six at noon.

Ben: Thanks for stopping up. I'll be at Faculty Senate on Thursday, so we'll touch base then about Friendsgiving.

Marc got up and left Ben's office, then went back downstairs to his own. Within a couple of minutes of his return, Kailen and Shelley walked in.

Kailen: Chaplain, can we talk to you for a bit?

Marc: Have a seat. As the two of you are here together, I take it your meeting at the coffee shop kicked off something.

Shelley: You bet! That's part of what we need to talk about. When the two of us were out on Saturday night cruising Port Washington Road, we saw a bit of action at the hotels between Hampton and Silver Spring.

Kailen: I have seen those three places be fairly busy most weekend nights when I've been out and about trying to find some fun in the North Shore.

Marc: I know a bit about the Baymont and the Holiday Inn just south of Hampton being places where some illicit activity takes place, but nothing regarding La Quinta or Motel 6.

Kailen: On past weekends, I've seen one of my teammates and one or two other student-athletes I know coming in or out of those places, sometimes dressed to the nines and other times in standard attire but with garment bags and small rolling suitcases.

Marc: Looking as good as the two of you did at the All-Sports Mixer?

Kailen: You could say that.

Marc knew this was some key info, but not irrefutable proof of what actually is going on to approach local law enforcement about checking it out.

Marc: Can you name names, Kailen?

Kailen: The teammate of mine is Jolene Harmon. As for the other two, one is Dionne Powell and the second is Monica Ament.

Marc jotted down the three names and thanked Kailen and Shelley for coming forward with their observations. "You don't know how appreciative I am of your providing me these details. It's been over a year that I and others have suspected something going on involving the athletic department and the hotels on the Port strip."

As the two student-athletes left Marc's office, the chaplain said to Kailen, "Wish your mom happy birthday and happy anniversary from me, in case I forget to post it to her Facebook timeline on Thursday."

Kailen: Will do.

While they walked away, Shelley asked Kailen about Deacon Schmidt's request, to which she referenced her comment from Stone Creek about him and her mom going to high school together.

**********

Brad went over to Marc's office after lunch to deal with his voicemail and email issues, since the chaplain HATED getting negative feedback unprepared. The impartial administrative guru condensed all the messages into a synopsis of good, bad, and neutral responses. He also told him there were others that he didn't read because they seemed to be either personal in nature or were from students at Trinity. Marc thanked Brad for his help and went about responding to the most pressing ones, as he would be meeting with Paul tomorrow morning and this was sure to be one topic of discussion. Following that, he moved onto reading the emails Brad hadn't. One stood out to him, coming from Lexi.

From: amillen  
To: mschmidt  
Subject: FWD: Trinity Invitational Weekend

>>>From: smanning  
>>>To: alumnirelations  
>>>Subject: Trinity Invitational Weekend

>>>Ladies,

>>>On November 15th and 16th, Trinity will be hosting three other ELCA universities (Concordia-Moorhead, Luther, and Finlandia) for men's and women's basketball tournaments. Gavin has made arrangements with the schools' traveling parties for some "recreation" to be provided by our group on those two evenings. Therefore, we need a much larger contingent of ambassadors than a normal weekend. The pay will be substantial and you'll be provided a clothing allowance to spruce up your current work wardrobe. Please contact me as soon as possible as to your interest, availability, and preference of locations as we're planning to have parties at each of the four hotels on the Port Washington Road strip and the three located at Green Bay and Brown Deer Roads.

>>>Sara Manning

Not wasting any time, he called Lexi to confirm that she had sent him this email and was cognizant of its contents.

Lexi: It's all there in black-and-white. What they're planning and where they plan to do it. Will this help you bring the ring down?

Marc: This information will make it VERY easy to bust it wide open, since I can take it directly to law enforcement and get them to pursue the lead. I know someone in Brown Deer's police department and I'll ask Coaches Dillon and Hawthorne if they have a contact in Glendale's. If I may, why did you choose to rat them out, and how do you feel about your actions?

Lexi: I saw the effect their activities had on our team this fall, which pissed me the hell off. I chose to wait until now because I didn't want to bring the whole season down and have the entire team punished for the actions of a select few. As for how I feel, it's a relief to finally shut this door behind me, for the most part. There are still two things that I need to get past. First is confessing my past to Cameron, and the second will be when my interview with Tori is published in the Trinity Times after the ring is exposed.

Marc: If I may say so, I'm quite proud of how you have turned your life around over the course of the past few months. Since Tori knows and I know, I think the two of us might be able to prep your man for that eventual conversation.

Lexi: Would you?!

Marc: I'll see what I can do. Thanks for the tip and I hope you continue to use your second chance to spread good and combat evil.

Lexi: I will.

Marc ended the call and sent out texts to Dani and Sarah asking them if they could stay behind after rehearsal this evening to help with his investigation of Gavin's funny business.

**********

The first full run-through of the Christmas Eve service went rather well. The newcomers (Cali, Katelyn, and Karina) fit in well with those who participated in last year's service. Danielle's absence was telling as it meant finding others to fill in the sections she did on the 12-string guitar and flute. With things coming together quicker than last year, Marc decided to end practice early with plans to focus next week on adding instruments and placing voices in various spots around the sanctuary.

After the students left, Marc, Dani, and Sarah went into the sacristy and talked.

Sarah: What did you want to ask Dani and I about concerning Gavin?

Marc: Well, it's not so much ask you as inform you that we finally have the evidence to bring the prostitution ring to an end. Lexi forwarded me an email she received from Sara about the upcoming basketball tournaments at Trinity and the need for more "ambassadors" for those two evenings to entertain the schools' traveling parties. It's all code, of course, but the email tells where they are planning to service their guests. Now, do either of you have a contact in the Glendale police department who I can tell about this? I have one in Brown Deer's, as Danielle played with his pipe and drum band for Honor Flight homecomings at Mitchell Airport.

Dani: Shawn's brother is on the force, as is our former superintendent's granddaughter.

Marc: Any way you can get one of them to contact me tomorrow?

Dani: Sure. I'll text Liv and have her relay the message to Shawn. So this will really come to an end?

Marc: I sure hope so, and you should be preparing for at least a temporary promotion once the dirt comes out.

Sarah: Where did I hear you say that before, Marc?

Marc: About seven months ago after you and your players filed the complaints against Lauren.

Sarah: Right. Coming with us for dinner?

Marc: Not tonight. I need to be heading home so I can get my monthly report for Paul done before bed. We're meeting tomorrow morning and there will be a fair bit on the agenda. Update on the ring and my investigation into the athletic department, the blow back from my letter to the synod's parishes, final plans for Vancouver, preliminary ones for Atlanta, and discussion of going to Baltimore for the USC Convention. Oh, and next steps in preparation for LSM National Gathering should we be chosen to host it.

As the three of them walked from Bonhoeffer over to the lot outside Luther, Marc brought up Friendsgiving and that the two ladies should expect Megan to contact them in the next couple of days about it. Before climbing in his Intrepid, Marc gave his princess a tender kiss and squeezed her hand, which made her all giddy. Sarah teased the pair of them and remarked on how she needed to begin being more affectionate with Wil if things were going to progress between them. Marc shut his door, then started up the car and left campus, followed in succession by Sarah and Dani.


	65. The Wearer Of Many Hats

On what is supposed to be his lightest day of the week, Marc's schedule was packed with tasks to complete and meetings to attend, starting with his monthly visit with Bishop Emerson at the synod office. Upon arriving, Deacon Schmidt handed the bishop his report of activities for the past 28 days, then sat down and waited for Paul to begin the Q-and-A which started every monthly meeting between the two.

Paul: When pastors around the synod bemoan campus ministers as living on Easy Street, and chaplains having the easiest road of all, I show them what you actually do in your role and it shuts them up real quick. Before we get into what's in the report, we need to talk about the insert in Sunday's bulletins. I thought my edits to it toned down the attacking rhetoric and expressed concern for the future of the church, but apparently the people in the pews didn't take that to be the case. I got a number of phone calls and emails from congregational leaders wondering what in holy h-e-double-toothpicks I was doing allowing someone with NO parish leadership experience, NO spouse, and NO children to address the entire synod on this subject.

Marc: I walked into plenty of both myself when I arrived at the office yesterday. There were a fair number of positive comments, mainly from the mothers who broke the mold when they came of age and have encouraged their daughters in their pursuits of occupation and vocation. I haven't had a chance to respond back to them yet as there were more important matters on-campus for me to wrestle with.

Paul: You can fill me in on that after we figure out a solution to smooth over the spat that has occurred with WELCA and their leaders. The biggest complaint from the emails I received was that we were devaluing the work of many women in the church by holding up public ministry as a greater or more worthwhile calling than their run-a-day efforts. We have to get the two sides together and let them talk out the unspoken tensions between the generations and mindsets.

Marc: You're right. This stand-off doesn't go away if people choose to ignore one another and use back channels to express or enforce their will. So when, where, and with whom do you suggest this get done?

Paul: Since Robin Brackett is the synod's WELCA president, she should be part of this. I'd also think there should be some others from their perspective involved. As you're standing on the side of evolving women's ministry to meet life in the 21st century, you should consider reaching out to a few women who you believe represent that perspective. Got any in mind yet?

Marc: Laura Capshaw. She is both classically old-school WELCA AND a rostered leader within the church with a career that she doesn't consider a "lesser" calling than Jared's, just a different one. Other names that come to mind are Gwen Westphal, who's a member of Eastown Lutheran Church, and Linda Williams, a member of Lakeside Lutheran Church and the wife of Tom Williams, who chairs the synod's Lutheran Campus Ministry board. Date, time, and place?

Paul: Next Tuesday, 10am, here?

Marc: Probably the best choice on all those fronts. Do you want to reach out to those I mentioned or have I do it?

Paul: It should come from me. That's settled, so let's move onto the rest of the agenda. What's the hub-bub on campus that's landed in your lap?

Marc: First, my investigation into the athletic department's finances for instances of wrongdoing, based on the audit Alex Bailey did in April. Then came yesterday's double whammy of information to bring down the prostitution ring. Two students gave me some details about what they had seen around the hotels on Port Washington Road near Bayshore Saturday night, including names of a few student-athletes. Later, another student forwarded me an email that was sent to her by the women's soccer coach about the need for more ambassadors on the 15th and 16th to entertain the traveling parties from the other schools involved in the Trinity Invitational basketball tournaments that weekend.

Paul: I would consider that much more pressing. This is the smoking gun you've been waiting on?

Marc: Yes. I plan to contact the Brown Deer and Glendale police departments this afternoon to make them aware of those plans, which hopefully results in them setting up a sting for that weekend which brings this 14-month nightmare to an end.

Paul: Anything you need from us in assistance?

Marc: Just your smiling face on campus the morning of the 18th for the inevitable press conference involving Don, Gavin, myself, and law enforcement.

Paul: I'll put it into my schedule. Next?

Marc: Plans for the Vancouver wedding are finalized and I don't plan to seek reimbursement on any of the expenses since it's more pleasure than business and the equivalent of a holiday getaway for me, Dani, and the girls. I haven't booked anything for the Atlanta one yet, but I've decided I want to take Karina as my assistant for it and possibly get a tour of Southeast Lutheran Seminary the morning of Feb. 14. Erin will be with us as well, to keep me out of trouble.

Paul: Submit the itinerary and we'll book the flights and accommodations.

Marc: The application for hosting next year's LSM National Gathering was submitted last week. Only question I have there is what should I focus Erin, Cali, and Brad on for the next steps of preparation should we be selected.

Paul: My recommendation is to flesh out the schedule as best you can so the entire time frame is covered, then develop a list of participants for worship and organizations with which to do the service project. Also, plan to do significant outreach in the synod during Spring semester. The students might not like hauling their rumps out of bed on Sunday mornings for worship, but they need to be in the local congregations promoting the event and getting possible support from them.

Marc: Consider it noted. Last thing I have is that I'm planning to attend the USC Convention in Baltimore in mid-January, but the funding for that will come from on-campus, non-ministry sources.

Paul: Sounds good to me. Jared's coming to town this weekend, right?

Marc: Yes. He, Laura, Dani, and I are going to dinner at Bella Italiana at Potawatomi on Saturday night while Erin and Steph mind Nick and Nate. Anything you want me to pass onto him?

Paul: I know he's scheduled to come off sabbatical March 1st and I'd like to get an idea of what he's looking for in a pastorate. He and I can't have any formal discussions until February 1st, but you can pick his brain and give me a heads-up.

Marc: I'll try to find out, but I am suspecting a lot of dinner will be catching up and trying to keep our partners from falling off their chairs in hilarity.

Paul: Ah yes. Heaven forbid Rev. Laing end up transferring to GMS. The three of you would be too much for ANY bishop to contain, even one as laid-back and personable as myself. Tell Dani I said hi and I'll see the two of you on the 18th at Trinity.

Marc left the synod offices and gave Mark Roufus of the Brown Deer Police Department a call, asking him if they could meet at Zi's Sports Pub off Brown Deer and Green Bay Roads and informed him of what was being planned by the Trinity athletic department for the 15th and 16th. Following the call, Marc continued north, reaching Zi's about a half-hour later, where Officer Roufus was waiting for him.

Officer Mark Roufus: It's been a bit since I've seen you. Irish Fest, maybe?

Marc: Probably. Life has been crazy between work and closing Danielle's trust, and now this smoking gun from one of women's soccer players at the school. It's been more than a year since the first suspicions of the athletic department engaging in this illicit enterprise were mentioned, but until yesterday most of it was third and fourth-hand conversations and supposition.

Officer Roufus: According to your intel, some of the traveling parties will be staying at the hotels in this area, with a number of your school's athletic ambassadors joining them in the evenings.

Marc: Yes. This area I believe is being used as overflow to the handful of motels on Port Washington Road south of Bayshore. Similar to how it was utilized in August during the ELCA's Churchwide Assembly that resulted in a number of attendees being picked up for solicitation at several hotels downtown.

Officer Roufus: Do you have any information about how things are run, other than this forwarded email announcing the event?

Marc: This is the first sniff of ANYTHING from the inside, and with rehearsal for our Christmas Eve service last night and a meeting with the bishop this morning, I haven't had a chance to follow-up with the student who sent me the forward outside of confirming her intent to inform me of their activities and inquiring about her reasons for doing so. I haven't been to campus yet today, so I don't know what else might be sitting on my phone or in my inbox about this or whether anyone in the Glendale police department has attempted to contact me. Just thought since I had to pass near here on the way to Mequon, I'd drop a dime and see where it led.

Officer Roufus: Thank you for letting me know. If you get additional information regarding this, contact me. I'm going to go back to HQ and let my superiors know so they can consider additional staffing for those two nights in that area.

Marc: My pleasure. Getting to the bottom of this mess and bringing those responsible to criminal and institutional justice is what I hope happens.

Officer Roufus left Zi's to return to department headquarters, while Marc finished up his lunch before departing for Trinity.

**********

From: Glendale, WI

Keith Frost: Deacon Schmidt, this is Keith Frost from the Glendale Police Department. I got a message from my brother Shawn that you had something involving criminal activity you wanted to discuss with someone here. Give me a call back when you have a chance.

Marc returned the phone call immediately and laid out for Officer Frost what he knew and had been told. He informed him of his contact with the Brown Deer Police Department and suggested they get clearance to do a joint sting those two nights. Keith said he'd contact Officer Roufus and get back to him if there was a need for further information or discussion of the matter.

Once the call was finished, Marc left his office to visit Ashley Sasser in Human Resources for a discussion about Dani's contract with UCI and employment status at Trinity.

Ashley: You look a bit worn-out. Busy morning?

Marc: Yeah. Meeting with the Bishop, meeting with Brown Deer police, conversation with Glendale police.

Ashley: Why is the school chaplain dealing with the police?

Marc laid out for Ashley in general terms what was about to transpire involving the athletic department and how her office would be involved in re-staffing it should coaches or other staff be implicated in the matter.

Marc: Anyways, that's not why I've stopped by. How would an employee from the Urban Coaching Institute become eligible for benefits through Trinity?

Ashley: Thinking ahead or looking to keep Dani in the fold?

Marc: Combination of both. With her two current jobs here, I was wondering where she would stand on an FTE basis, and what the threshold is for benefit eligibility.

Ashley: To be eligible, she would need to be no lower than 0.8 FTE, which translates to a 32 hours/week average or 1600 hours over the course of a calendar year. I know both jobs aren't really set up as "punch the clock" endeavors, so I'd look at the total hours as my determinant instead of a weekly average.

Marc: OK. The coaching job is technically 20 hours a week from August 1st through November 30th and 10 hours a week from March 1st through April 30th. Factoring that all together, it's five months of half-time work.

Ashley: Which comes out arguably to 420 hours. Now, the institute?

Marc: August through October, 10 hours a week. The two spring months, 20 hours a week. November through February, she can go up to 40. May, June, July is as-needed to keep up with the workload and meet campus obligations of consistent availability to staff and students.

Ashley added up the figures for Dani's UCI schedule and came up with 990 hours.

Ashley: The total number of hours between the two jobs based on your descriptions of them is 1410, which translates to a 0.7 FTE. By some means, she would need to add 190 hours over the course of the year to get to 0.8. Is that doable?

Marc: It probably is when you factor in the United Soccer Coaches Convention, which would be 96 hours over-and-above what she'd be working normally, and plans to have her be the clinician for the distance-learning version of the seminar, which comes out to 108-132 hours depending on the format.

Ashley: Those two pieces would bring her over the 1600 hour mark. Can you get your break-out of hours on paper for me? I'll go over to the athletic department and ask for an updated catalog of job descriptions to take care of their portion and to have them handy if we need to make some hires in the near future.

Marc: It will be in your inbox by tomorrow morning.

After leaving HR, Marc went down to the UCI office in Rincker and informed Dani of his work over the course of the day. The two looked over her proposal for Thursday, which didn't include the distance-learning version of the seminar. Deciding that it didn't need to be in the formal submission, Marc jotted himself a note to make mention of it during their presentation. Following that, he broke out his laptop and typed up his description of Dani's hours at the Urban Coaching Institute, then registered the two of them for Convention and booked flights to and from Baltimore before calling time on the day and leaving campus with his partner for dinner at her place.


	66. Bring It In

The three-day legislative festival on campus commenced on Wednesday with Student Government meeting to take up within the Committee of the Whole Adrian Pembroke's bill to increase student fees. A number of representatives offered amendments and a good bit of mark-up was done on the legislation which passed the SGA on October 8th. The bill which will be voted upon in two weeks reduces the total increase from $700 per year to $500 and requires the athletic department to provide a detailed report of how those fees were allocated at the close of each semester.

**********

The women's volleyball team left Trinity on Thursday morning for Bloomington, IL and the campus of Illinois Wesleyan University for the first weekend of the NCAA tournament, with play beginning on Friday and running through Sunday. Athletic Director Gavin Winchester and Sports Information Director Elly Dismore accompanied the team, which left Assistant Athletic Director Ted Thurman in charge for possibly four days and representing the athletic department at Friday's Board of Trustees meeting, where Marc would present the findings of his investigation into its finances and potential illegal activity.

**********

Marc and Lexi went to the Glendale Police Department and were greeted upon entry by Officer Keith Frost, who then escorted them back to a conference room where the three of them would meet with Marc Roufus from the Brown Deer Police Department to exchange information about the Trinity athletic department's prostitution ring and law enforcement's plans for busting it. Lexi told the two officers how things operated within the ring, from initial communication to schedules to payment, along with the prime times on each evening and the client demographic for each of the Port Washington Road hotels (Motel 6 is quick-in, quick-out and the least expensive; La Quinta is for longer interactions; Holiday Inn for multiple clients and high-end requests; and the Baymont being the standard "whorehouse"). Keith and Mark bounced some ideas around with Marc and Lexi for how best to catch the ring leaders and not just pick off low-level workers. Knowing that Saturday night would be a LOT more active than Friday night, the plan would be to stake out the Brown Deer hotels on the 15th and nab three or four "ambassadors", then go full swarm on the 16th in both locales to hopefully get the big fish. Marc asked if both officers would be available to attend the expected press conference at Trinity on the morning of the 18th. Roufus said he would be there, while Frost noted his needing to clear it with command.

**********

Thursday's Faculty Senate meeting was heavily-attended due to a number of academic departments submitting proposals for new courses, degree requirements, and programs to begin in Fall 2020. The School of Education's curriculum committee approved PhyEd 382/383 for graduate credit, but denied the Urban Coaching Institute's request to count it toward practicum hours due to lack of information. This was a topic Marc, Ben, and Dani took up in their presentation.

Ben: Numerous academic departments give credit for past field experiences that are meant to be applied to a degree's requirements in lieu of ones in the curriculum. Why the School of Education refuses to do it in this case is baffling, and I request that Faculty Senate take up this matter following approval of PhyEd 382/383 as course offerings for inclusion in the Fall 2020 course catalog.

Marc: As the School of Education has given the two-course seminar approval to be taken for graduate credit, the yearly cohort will undoubtedly have currently licensed teachers and students from the Sports Management degree program. Both of those segments do not need to take Practicum 2 as part of their degree requirements, with the former likely to have it waived due to taking such a course as part of their undergraduate studies, and the latter not students within the School of Education. The level of experiential education required within the seminar, either prior to or concurrent with PhyEd 382, far exceeds the contact hours listed for Practicum 2, so why the School of Education's curriculum committee has chosen to deny using those contact hours as part of their students' second field experiences doesn't necessarily hold water.

Chuck Bottinger: And what, pray tell, is their rationale?

Ben: Their argument is that, by allowing students to substitute the experiential education component of the seminar in toto, they will have no practical in-class experience before starting Student Teaching. The Institute's request has never been for full substitution, just partial. We tell students to pack their schedules to get the most out of their undergraduate education, yet make it more difficult for them to do so by not allowing courses to count toward multiple requirements. At a time when the cost of a college degree continues to soar without end, students and parents are looking to get the most bang for the buck, if you will.

Lisa Collins: If it's not a straight substitute, but rather something akin to "advanced standing", why won't the School of Education approve it?

Ben: Guess that's something to take up in your Undergraduate Education committee.

Marc: At this time, I would like to hand the floor over to UCI's assistant director, Danielle Dillon, to present the formal course proposal.

Dani walked down to the clerk and handed her several copies of the proposal, which included drafts of the syllabus and course catalog description along with summaries from two of the major projects from the module. Back at the lectern, she proceeded to lay out the educational and professional outcomes desired and the need for better-trained coaches at all levels of sport and in all locales. After she sat down, several other presentations took place before a short recess was called. During the break, Ben and Dani discussed what Megan had told the both of them about plans for Friendsgiving on November 24th, with Marc listening on so he was somewhat informed. Upon resumption of the meeting, Faculty Senate President Doug Metcalf asked for unanimous consent to consider the proposals as one omnibus package, which he received. He then called for the yeas and nays, which was seconded by Lauren Fowler.

Doug Metcalf: All in favor, vote I. [I's voting] All opposed, no. [No's voting] In the opinion of the chair, the I's have it. The bill is agreed to. As there is no other business coming before us today, this body will stand in recess until 3:30pm on Thursday, December 5th. [sound of gavel]

Marc, Dani, and Ben quickly exited the lecture hall and congratulated one another on clearing another hurdle. Marc reminded the two of them that passage tomorrow would be all-or-nothing, since the Board of Trustees is not allowed to pull out individual proposals for separate votes. After Ben left for home, Marc and Dani went back to his office. Once they were behind closed doors, the pair exchanged a loving embrace and a tender kiss.

Marc: I am so proud of you, darling. No visible nerves, total control of the situation, and giving the senators more information than they probably were expecting.

Dani: I'm a teacher by trade, remember. Also remember that Ben and I made the pitch for the institute in April, after I chastised you for not trusting me enough to act on your behalf.

Marc: Right, and you have proven more than capable of doing it. You probably know its pieces better than I do now, because you took the module whereas I only wrote it.

Dani: Don't downplay your role in all of this. I may know the material, but not necessarily what it means in the bigger picture of interscholastic or youth athletics.

Marc: That will come in time, as you teach the course and engage with the issues your "students" bring to the table from "the real world" of sports. I have faith in you, and I'm always here if you need help.

Marc walked over to the window and looked outside, his thoughts wandering. Dani came up behind him and, after wrapping her arms around his waist, asked what was on his mind.

Marc: Several things. One, tomorrow's meeting and cluing in the Board of Trustees to Brown Deer and Glendale's sting operation. Sunday and Monday's anniversaries. Decisions both of us will have to make if Sara or others in the athletic department are taken down next weekend. Then, the holidays and how I'm going to handle that. When and how we choose to officially declare ourselves a couple. And of course a thousand little things that clog up space.

Dani: Babe, one thing at a time, OK? Get through tomorrow morning first before moving onto other matters. What's the significance of those two days?

Marc: Sunday is the anniversary of when Danielle and I started our relationship 24 years ago, and Monday is the three-year anniversary of my hospitalization. I'm looking forward to Saturday night and getting together with Jared and Laura, but I might be on the skids the next couple of days.

Dani: If you need me, I'm there. If you need space, I understand that as well. Just tell me how best to help you get through it.

Marc turned around and looked at Dani. "How did I luck into you?!"

Dani kissed Marc on the nose and replied, "I think I'm the lucky one."


	67. Can You Stand The Heat?

Morgan Andringa was outside Stuenkel 103 ready to ask members of the Board of Trustees about items on today's meeting agenda. After getting a couple of comments from Legislative Chair Paul Ridgewell, she was approached by Tori and Lexi, who were there because of the potential theatrics during Marc's report on his investigation of the athletic department.

Morgan (to Tori): On duty this morning?

Tori: Thankfully, no. There's an item on the agenda in which Lexi and I have a great deal of interest.

Morgan: You mean Deacon Schmidt's report?

Lexi: Yes. On Monday, I sent the good chaplain an email I received from Coach Manning about alumni relations' plans for the Trinity Invitational next weekend and he's going to address it somehow in his presentation.

Morgan: Wow! You sold them out?!?!

Lexi: YES! Can't discuss this further, but watch and listen because things are about to get VERY interesting for a good number of individuals connected to the athletic department.

The three women went inside to get seats, being joined a few minutes later by Marc, Dani, and Kara. Marc and Lexi stepped outside briefly, with him telling her his plan to move for the Board to enter executive session, where he'll make the trustees aware of the upcoming sting. They re-entered and took their seats just before Chairman David Strasser began the meeting. He recognized Paul Ridgewell, who presented the omnibus academic package passed yesterday by Faculty Senate. Following some debate over the feasibility of offering Winterim courses ahead of the Spring 2021 semester, the bill was moved and passed by voice vote. Up next was Ted Thurman on behalf of the athletic department.

Ted Thurman: Chairman, Board of Trustees. As Gavin is out of town with the women's volleyball team, I have been asked by him to submit his list of athletic department hirings for Spring sports.

Ted walked copies of the contracts up to the clerk, to be placed into the record. Chairman Strasser asked for unanimous consent to accept the contracts as written, which was received. Next up was Ashley Sasser with a list of hirings through Human Resources that needed Board of Trustees approval, including Dani's elevation to full-time status at the university and promotion to assistant director of the Urban Coaching Institute. After a few minutes of explanation of the logistics surrounding Coach Dillon's dual positions at Trinity, Ashley handed copies of the contracts to the clerk for filing in the record. Laura Hammond moved for approval of the contracts and their provisions, which was seconded by Gregg Best and passed by voice vote.

David Strasser: Up next is Deacon Schmidt.

Marc made his way down the stairs to the lectern, then began addressing the board.

Marc: Chairman, Trustees. First I would like to thank you for your previous actions today, ones that will allow the Urban Coaching Institute to solidify itself within the Trinity campus community. When I asked this board on October 11th for clearance to do an investigation of the athletic department's finances, I said that I would hopefully have something to report when we met today, which I do. As my findings involve subjects of a sensitive nature and includes misconduct by Trinity employees, I ask that the Board consider moving into executive session for the receipt of my report and discussion of ancillary matters.

David Strasser: Please approach.

Marc walked up to the chairman and briefly explained what was in the report. As he stepped back to the lectern, Chairman Strasser announced that the Board would enter into executive session in the Lake Shore Room beginning at 10:15, after which it would be in recess until its next meeting on December 13th.

**********

Ashley and Dani went off-campus for lunch to Maxfield's Pancake House in Fox Point. After ordering, they began discussing what happened earlier that morning.

Ashley: Why did Marc asked the Board to go into executive session, and why did Kara join him?

Dani: Some of what is in his report on the athletic department's finances involves criminal activity. He also wanted to inform them on plans to end it before action was taken. As for Kara, the activity is being done by student-athletes, which means she'll eventually have to deal with the NCAA concerning their eligibility once the truth comes out.

Ashley: Ahhhhhh. He told me a little bit about it on Tuesday when he stopped by to inquire about benefits eligibility for employees of UCI. Well, one employee specifically.

Dani: That would be me. Explains the promotion and me taking on more responsibility for the day-to-day management of the institute.

Ashley: Probably. Can you come over to my office when we get back to campus so I can lay out what you'll be eligible for come the first of the year?

Dani: Sure.

While Ashley and Dani were eating, Marc and Kara walked in and joined the two brunettes at their table.

Dani: Things turn out well in the executive session?

Marc: Very. The Board was shocked by what was unearthed in the investigation and told Kara and I that they will give us any resource we need to clean up the mess after the sting next weekend.

Kara: Jamie and I will probably rely on you a LOT to help us manage the fallout from the ring being busted.

Marc: I'm expecting that, which is why I mentioned to the Board about using members of my office to handle initial interviews with those who get snagged by the sting.

Dani: If you're going to use some of the peers to get statements from the perps, how will you administer sanctions without a hearing?

Marc: Some of the cases can be done on paper. Student pleads out, I pass down what is appropriate for the crime or allow their coaches to discipline the athletes themselves, like Sarah did with Shelley. Since at least a couple of your players will get hauled in, I plan to let you have input on the punishments I either hand down or recommend to the provost.

Ashley: Provost? Why would she have a say in the matter?

Marc: Because she's the only person who can officially administer academic penalties concerning grades, suspension, or dismissal.

Kara: Everyone better be ready for a bumpy ride come the 18th. I plan to have you on speed dial, Marc.

Marc: I'm letting everything go to voicemail that Monday and Tuesday. Best chance to catch me is by stopping by my office. Is there any way some of us could meet on Thursday, so those who need to be on alert are brought up-to-speed?

Kara: I'll take it up with Jamie on Monday and have her reserve a study room in Rincker for us.

Marc: Sounds good. I should think about getting back to campus. I promised a few of the students I'd stop by Tietjen to watch the volleyball team's match against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps with them.

Dani (to Ashley): I'm going to ride back with Marc if you don't mind.

Ashley: Not at all. I'm sure the two of you want to celebrate your promotion a little. Just remember to come see me when you get back to campus.

Marc and Dani left Maxfield's together, then stopped at Baskin-Robbins for dessert before going back to Trinity.

**********

The Tietjen Hall community room was well-packed as a large portion of campus came together to see their school's first-ever NCAA tournament game, with the women's volleyball team taking on Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in Bloomington, IL. The winner of their match faces Colorado College, a three-sets-to-one winner over Cornell College, in the second round tomorrow afternoon. The Athenas took the first set, 25-17, and were ahead 9-8 when Marc arrived. He found Erin and Steph, then kneeled down next to the latter's chair.

Marc: How are they looking?

Steph: What worked against Aurora isn't panning out today, as their serving game isn't as sharp and thus stacking their top servers hasn't resulted in multiple-point runs.

Marc: How's Katelyn doing?

Erin: Having a decent match, but CMS has been able to neutralize her height advantage when she moves inside to set by rotating one of their outside hitters into the center.

The two teams continued to exchange single points, with neither team doing particularly well in maintaining their serve. With the score 23-22 in favor of CMS, Claire attempted to drill her Crater serve for an ace, but the Athenas' libero cheated forward a few inches and was able to bump-pass the ball to their setter, eventually leading to a kill which put the 2017 national champions on set point. Sydney made a couple of crucial digs to keep the point alive, but Alanna's attempt to kill the ball struck the antenna attached to the net, giving the point to CMS and with it the second set, 25-22.

The Thunder got off to a hot start to the third set, taking a 12-5 lead that barely stood up by the end of the set, with Trinity winning it by the minimum, 25-23. After the third-set break, both teams came out swinging, exchanging rallies and points. CMS were behind 15-11 when their coach called a timeout.

Abby: Can the girls get the points to force a fifth set?

Kayla: Based on Set Three, I'm not overly confident they can. Claremont has been able to pick up points on its serve more consistently than we have, and I'm not seeing our service game giving them a lot of trouble.

Back from the time-out, the Athenas regained the serve and ran off four points in succession on it, taking the lead 16-15. The teams then traded serve for the next five points before Trinity put together a two-point run to go up 20-18, followed by the teams siding-out one another on six consecutive rallies, which kept the Thunder ahead at 23-21, forcing CMS to use their second time-out of the set. The Athenas subbed in a serving specialist coming out of the stoppage, which proved a wise move as she was able to score a pair of aces after CMS regained serve, putting them on match point at 24-23. The NACC champions fended off their opponent's first attempt to advance, then a second, and a third. Jamie brought on Carmen for Alanna, hoping to get a big serve from her to take the lead in the set. Her offering posed no problem for the Athenas and they killed the rally in short order, going up 27-26. Visibly nervous, Trinity wasn't able to fight off the three-time defending SCIAC champions any longer and succumbed on the next point, allowing Claremont-Mudd-Scripps to advance to the second round of the tournament.

As the students, faculty, and staff who had gathered were preparing to leave Tietjen, Marc reminded them that EVERY SINGLE PLAYER from this team would be returning in 2020 with more than likely a couple of additional players. Before he left, he gave a round of applause for the team's effort and told Abby and Kayla that they should rally up some people to meet the bus when it returned around 9:00.

**********

Kailen and Shelley were driving north on Port Washington Road toward Silver Spring Drive bopping to the music on the radio and catching glances at one another. The pair had been silently flirting with one another all evening, but neither one was willing to step forward and act upon their desire. A couple of minutes later, Kailen turned left off Silver Spring onto Santa Monica Boulevard, then circled the block and parked on the west side of Whitefish Bay Dominican High School. The two of them sat in silence for three or four minutes, with Kailen not knowing how to proceed on making physical contact with Shelley.

Shelley: Nice night, isn't it?

Kailen: Lovely.

Shelley: Sooooooo.........are we "parking"?

Kailen: Parking?

Shelley: It's a term from the 50s and 60s to describe a couple going to some secluded place to make out.

Kailen: I see......is that something that intrigues you?

Shelley: Considering I turn to jelly every time I look at you, yes it does.

The pair looked at one another and, after a slight bit of hesitation on each of their parts, moved their faces toward each other and their lips met in a soft first kiss. Kailen took the lead after that, with her being somewhat voracious in her affection for Shelley, playing with her hair and deepening her lip lock with the slightly-older woman. Shelley responded as best she could given her lack of experience, but was no match for the skilled way Kailen moved her lips onto her neck and collarbone.

Shelley: How long have you wanted to do that to me?

Kailen: Probably from the first time I noticed you looking me over at the All-Sports Mixer. I made a pretty quick exit that night because I was a bit afraid of how I'd respond if you DID come and talk to me.

Shelley: Does your offer from Stone Creek still stand, because I think I want to take you up on it?

Kailen grinned broadly and she moved back toward Shelley, kissing her deeply once again. "What does that tell you?!"

Shelley reached for Kailen's hand and took it in hers. "So, what do we do now?"

Kailen: Start dating, seeing each other as much as we can, canoodle when opportunity arises. I'm fairly new to all of this, but have learned some tricks from lesbian porn that I might want to try out sometime.

Shelley: I should let you lead this relationship since I have NO clue of what to do other than what I've picked up from playing Truth or Dare and Spin The Bottle.

Kailen: The Gay Athletes Association at school is hosting a banquet on the 22nd. Would you like to go with me to that?

Shelley: Sounds like a perfect first outing for us as a couple. Guessing it's fairly formal?

Kailen: Dress code is apparently semi-formal, but that just means leave the ball gowns and tuxes at home. Still dressy, and I am honestly looking forward to seeing you looking FIIIIIIINE!

Shelley blushed, then leaned across the console and left a small suckle on the right side of Kailen's neck. "And I can't wait to see you in something that I'd be tempted to take off you later in the evening."

After a few more minutes of teasing kisses and flirty innuendo, Kailen started up the car and drove Shelley home, promising to release her sexual tension while thinking of her. Shelley told Kailen that she'd be doing the same and would call her when she had a chance tomorrow.


	68. Funny You Should Say That

Erin and Steph arrived at Marc's house at 5:30, a half-hour ahead of when their charges for the evening, Nick and Nate Capshaw, would be dropped off by Jared and Laura. The ladies went upstairs to put their bags in Erin's room before walking down the hall to check out Dani's choice of outfit for the evening (a purple-and-white summer dress with block-heeled sandals).

Erin: A little more casual than I'm used to with you. Any reason?

Dani: No special occasion tonight, just two couples going out for dinner. Besides, I can't try to turn Marc on ALL the time, otherwise we'd never get out of the house.

Steph: Not that you don't do it anyhow, regardless of how you dress.

Marc walked past the bathroom and checked out his partner.

Marc: Sure you're not going to be chilly dressed like that, bae?

Dani: If I am, you can just warm me up when we get back.

Marc: You look like a mil, while I come in at $1.98.

Dani came out and kissed Marc on the cheek. "Best two bucks I ever spent. Right, girls?"

Erin: Yes.

Steph: I agree.

Marc: Thank you, all of you. The next couple of days are going to be hard, which is why I'm glad the three of you will be here tomorrow.

The three women encircled their favorite man of Trinity and gave him a group hug. Following that, the four of them went downstairs to wait for the Capshaws to show up. Erin and Steph went into the kitchen and snooped through the fridge in search of what dinner would be for them and the boys.

Erin: What's fair game in the fridge?

Marc: Pretty much anything, since we'll be eating what's left tomorrow. So you two decide.

Laura, Nick, and Nate were walking in front of Jared up to the front door, where she rang the bell. Dani answered the door and let the four of them in. Jared and Marc bro-hugged while Dani and Laura exchanged a more feminine one while checking one another over. When Erin and Steph came into the living room, Marc introduced them to Jared, who introduced the boys to their minders.

Jared (to Nick and Nate): Now you be good for the two of them. We'll be back in a couple of hours.

Nick: OK, Dad.

The two couples left Marc's house and loaded into his Intrepid for the ten-minute drive to Potawatomi Hotel and Casino, where Bella Italiana was located.

**********

Marc: Laura, with the new university opening in two years, what will your role be in its development, if any?

Laura: I'm supposed to use Spring semester to travel the region and visit our existing campuses to see what the standard school does. After that, I'll spend some time specifically at TLU learning what you did with the merger and redevelopment to raise the bar. From there, I'll meet with those already hired into the big positions at the new school, like President, Provost, Student Affairs head, and Chaplain provided they have one at that point.

Jared: And before you ask, I am not planning to apply for the new school's chaplaincy. Chicago would be an absolute mess of a place to live the kind of life Laura and I want for ourselves and our sons.

Marc: Good choice. Before I let it slip my mind, Paul wanted to know what you were looking for in a parish for when you come off sabbatical. Since he can't talk to you until February 1st, he asked me to inquire.

Jared: After doing way-out-suburban LA on my first call and northern New Mexico on my second, I think I want to do something more challenging with this one, such as a congregational renaissance or urban-based ministry.

Marc; So something different than the Beemer congregation in Santa Monica and the hippie one in Taos.

Jared: That would be my preference, to be in a parish where I'm needed and where the Gospel needs reinvention for a new generation of worshipers who come in distrusting of people, of God, and of authority.

Marc: I'll pass it on.

Dani: Can we stop talking shop and get onto being social, hun?

Marc: Sorry. Wanted to get that out of the way so the rest of the evening could be fun.

Dani: Jared, you must have a story or several about Marc from back in the day.

Jared: For sure. There was the time when he answered a phone call from Kirk at a conference high-up on Benadryl.

Marc: Perfectly good reason for that. One, Danielle was sick for most of that week. Two, I had been getting nosebleeds due to the altitude and a slight bit of a cold. A better story is when Kirk, I, and several others had to bail his car out of standing water at regional retreat using wood planks. That was also when you and him introduced the IMOK egg.

Dani: IMOK egg?

Jared: Our region in Lutheran Student Movement consisted of Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Kentucky. Take the first letter of each and you get IMOK. As for the egg, Kirk did a sketch at the start of one of our sessions as Dr. Evil from the "Austin Powers" movies holding this extra-large plastic Easter egg, claiming it like the Gospel is extremely valuable to those who take hold of it, but is of little or no value for people who are not seeking it.

Laura: Guys, please don't do the chant.

Jared: Sorry, but it has to be done.

Marc and Jared (in a screaming whisper): I-M-O-K, yeah baby yeah!

Laura shook her head while Dani covered her mouth to not laugh out loud at the two of them.

Dani: When Laura and I got together for brunch a couple of weeks ago, we exchanged notes on how screwed-up-in-the-head the two of you really are, telling each other what the craziest thing is that you've done in your job.

Jared: Did you pick the Fruit of the Spirit sermon with me as the Fruit of the Loom characters?

Laura: Yes, but sadly it's no competition for Marc's most outrageous stunt.

Marc: Let me guess. The opening of Becca and EJ's wedding with the plastic ears thrown on the ground?

Dani: No. That's tame compared to the one I told her.

Marc: My pre-Advent sermon last year involving Maury Povich and Robin Williams?

Dani: Not even close. I'll give you a hint. "WOOOOOOOO"

Marc chuckled. "Seriously. You think me entering the Homecoming dance dressed like Naitch is the most outrageous thing I've done?!"

Dani: Don't forget having your nephew play Michael Buffer during the introduction.

Jared: Are you insane, Marc?!?!

Marc: No. The theme of the dance was 80s Prom, and he was a classic character of the decade's explosion in professional wrestling and material gluttony. The impersonation was on point and it flowed right into my MC'ing the event.

Dani: My oldest sister told our dad that Marc is Trinity's version of Dick Clark to explain why our age gap isn't really a big deal. He plays closer to 37 than 47 and I'm more in line with late 20s versus barely 25.

Marc: Which puts me pretty much on the same age level as you, Kirk, and the rest of those in LSM during the early 2000s.

Laura (to Marc and Dani): Can I ask the two of you about the housing market and where would be good to look for a place to live?

Marc: Depends what you want. In the city? Away from it?

Jared: I don't think it would be good form to pastor a congregation in the city and live outside it.

Marc: My neighborhood tends to be a popular one for professionals to call home. Same with Bay View and the southwest side of Milwaukee, around Hamilton High School.

Dani: I'm living in Brown Deer, which is sort of Milwaukee but sort of isn't. Nice area, but pretty much an oasis between the monied folk in River Hills and Ozaukee County, the snobbery of the North Shore, where I grew up, and the sketchiness of Milwaukee's north side.

Jared: We'll pick your brains again when we get closer to the boys and I moving up here.

Marc raised his glass and offered a toast. "To old friends, to new friends, and to writing new chapters in life with those most dear to us."

Laura was trying to stifle a small giggle as she and the other two raised their glasses in response to Marc.

Dani: What tripped your giggle box, Laura?

Laura: Marc dropped one of his corny witticisms into that toast. "Make new friends but keep the old...."

Dani: One is silver and the other gold. I didn't catch it the first time. See what I say about trying to live with someone who thinks he's the second incarnation of Mel Brooks?!

Laura: Yes, which means we'll probably end up being soul sisters to handle the lunacy our men dish out.

After paying the check, the two couples went down to the main floor and hit the slot machines for a bit, coming out relatively even. From there, they returned to Washington Heights and a nightcap at Marc's place.

**********

Steph and Erin had retired to their room shortly after Jared and Laura left, leaving Marc and Dani to themselves in the living room. They were curled up on the couch, with Dani's head in Marc's lap and her looking up at him.

Dani: That was a fun evening. We'll have to go out again with them after Jared is here permanently.

Marc: You can count on that. Life has been pretty good to the two of us the past couple of months and I don't see that changing in the near future. Speaking of the future, I want the TLU holiday party to be the official unveiling of our relationship.

Dani: You're sure, because you also mentioned waiting until Steph and Ali's wedding to do it?

Marc: I'm sure. It will allow the two of us to spend the holidays together as a couple with each of our families and it won't feel like we're springing a surprise on people. It's a more natural evolution of sharing our commitment with others, where some know about it and others become aware of it, than announcing it in a foreign country surrounded by only Erin and Steph from our inner circles.

Dani: That sounds like a good plan. Means I should probably try to find something extra-smashing to wear that night. How about we go upstairs and continue this conversation? That way, we can actually look at one another without straining our necks.

Dani got up, then took Marc's hand and lifted him from the couch. The pair went up the stairs to his bedroom, where they each changed out of their going-out clothes and into comfortable sleepwear. Once re-attired, Marc sat on the bed and was joined shortly by Dani. They lied back, with her head against his shoulder. She shifted up slightly and gave him a tender kiss, which he deepened. After a few minutes, the pair stopped and went back to their previous positions.

Marc: So we have five-and-a-half weeks until we go public. I'd like to make sure we're as strong as possible when that day comes, so that you're ready to deal with the level of crappolla that will come our way from various corners of the world and I am ready to defend our choices to others.

Dani: What do you have in mind to help that strengthening along?

Marc: Opening up the closets and bringing out the skeletons, as well as inquiring of them. We haven't done one of those since the last night in Chicago and we were at a much different place relationship-wise then.

Dani: We weren't yet a couple, since you were still married and I had chosen to bide my time with Sarah while I waited for you. You wanna go first or should I?

Marc: I'll go. What is the toughest decision you've ever made?

Dani: Seeking treatment for my bulimia. It's not easy to admit you have a problem and need help. You've been there as well, which is why you ended up being hospitalized three years ago.

Marc: Yes, but that decision was sort of out of my hands, and I'm grateful that it was. My answer would be when I left Danielle. It took me two-and-a-half years to get to the point where I finally did it and I was so scared she would chase me down here that I went off-the-radar for a good 48 hours after departure.

Dani: MAJOR skeleton there. I didn't know you and her separated.

Marc: Now you do. Should have been probably three or four months apart, ended up being more than two years.

Dani: There was a song in the 90s by Meat Loaf titled "I Would Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)". What is your THAT?

Marc: Allow myself to be tempted to the point where I forget about my commitment to you. If I can't fight the temptation, I'll have to flee the situation. You?

Dani: Put up with being a punching bag for your ego. I'll stroke it, I'll boost it, I'll even encourage you to let loose with it on the outside world, but I will NOT let you use it to hold me back, hold me down, or make me feel inferior to you.

Marc: Whoa.....you hit me pretty good with that.

Dani: Just being honest, my love.

Marc: I had to spur Sarah and Wil to get out their thoughts on this subject a couple of months ago. What is your line in the sand when it comes to my behavior and what are you seeking for yourself when to comes to our sexual relationship and the outside influences involved in it, mine being the wandering eye and yours being your attraction to women?

Dani: I guess I haven't thought much about my sexual needs apart from wanting you all to myself. Remember when we were developing our "agreement" last Fall? At that time, I needed you to be the person who could satisfy my hunger for the male organ while I pursued a long-term relationship with a woman. Now, I think I need someone who can satisfy my hunger for puss now and again, but who won't infringe on my relationship with you.

Marc: Back then, I needed you to be my safe outlet for physical love so I wouldn't be tempted to get it from other sources. Now that we're together, I don't need or necessarily desire a side person, because I want you to be the only person I connect to in that way. If an opportunity came where your side chick wanted to have some fun and games with me as well, out in the open and not behind your back, I wouldn't be averse to it.

Dani: You want us to possibly share someone?

Marc: Share isn't the word I'd use. More like a supplemental person to our relationship, someone who helps me meet your sexual needs.

Dani: Since you think this might be a good idea, I'm guessing you have some possible candidates. Ergo, which one Trinity female athlete are you secretly attracted to in a sexual way?

Marc: As in a one-off or as in a person we both can have, because they're not the same person.

Dani: One-off.

Marc: Katelyn, because she is SO MUCH like you. Athletic, cheery, and can rock the body when she dresses up.

Dani: For a one-off, I'd choose Lauren Chandler because, from what I hear, she is pretty uninhibited. For an ongoing one, it's Erin.

Marc: I guess we know where to go from here, because she'd be my choice as well. I think she kind of likes me in a bi-curious way, with some actions of hers indicating it, such as her kissing me more than once the night of the family dinner in May. Because it was unexpected, I didn't have a chance to return either one.

Dani: Down the line, we can take that up. Ready for cuddles and stuff?

Marc: Yeah.

Marc turned out the light and pressed himself up against Dani's back, holding her tightly to himself. She rubbed her butt against his pelvic region and he slipped his hand inside her pajama shorts and panties to rub her vaginal lips, sticking a finger inside her. She turned her head back toward Marc and captured his lips with her own, leading eventually to the pair connecting their bodies to one another while spooning in a heartfelt and gentle act of love and passion.


	69. You Oughta Know

With four days and counting until the first night of the prostitution sting planned by the Brown Deer and Glendale police departments, several corners of the university began preparations for the eventual publicity which would come to the Trinity campus after it was executed. Kara read over the NCAA handbook to find eligibility sanctions she could have levied for criminal conduct. University Communications had been sent a confidential memorandum from President Garrett on plans for next Monday, when it was presumed a press conference would be held to respond to the expected weekend's activities. On a more personal level, Lexi warned Amber and Emily about the cops being out in force on Saturday night across most of the North Shore, hoping they would choose to stay on campus rather than run the risk of getting picked up.

Tori asked Cam to meet her at Marc's office after his 10:00 class, where she and the chaplain would attempt to prepare him for the upcoming conversation Lexi would have with him about her past. Cam entered and sat down across from Marc at the office's work table. The two of them proceeded to feel Cam out regarding his opinion of forgiveness for actions which occurred prior to making acquaintance with someone. 

Cam: As you've been saying all semester, Deacon Schmidt, redemption isn't allowed to happen if a person cannot escape bad acts he or she has done in the past, if forgiveness for certain things is not achievable.

Marc: So you would consider a person's past to be in the past?

Cam: Yes. If I didn't know that person at the time these transgressions occurred, how can I judge them ex post facto?

Marc: I'm planning to base Wednesday's homily on the idea of forgiving a person for things they did before you met them, and the resultant concept of taking offense to them after the fact. I believe everyone should start with a clean slate, that what transpired before knowing someone should not factor into your opinion of them, especially if you learn that information from outside sources. My nephew Matt had to call me on the carpet for interfering with his ability to make a fresh start at Trinity by "warning" people around here about him.

Tori: Are there things that are so far out-of-bounds that, regardless of when they occurred, a person is justified in holding against someone?

Marc: There are always exceptions. For instance, if Person X has a history of domestic abuse, you might want to be wary of him or her without some definitive proof of atonement. Also, try to look at the damage in the other person's life as a result of their bad choices or inappropriate actions. The truly reformed do themselves more harm in moving forward than anyone else can cause them because they struggle with accepting forgiveness for their actions and seeking it from those they fear won't offer it.

Cam: Didn't you say in one of your sermons that everyone has baggage, but some see the luggage as it's being filled and others only see it when they actually start carrying it?

Marc: I'm not sure that's the analogy I used, but I do remember saying that those who started here in August most likely have no knowledge of what occurred last year, or during the interregnum, thus their frame of reference isn't clouded by it when they begin engaging with other students, professors, administrative offices, etc. From what the grapevine on campus tells me, I believe both of you have situations in front of you that might test your belief in second chances, that people close to you have skeletons in the closet.

Tori: So we should be prepared to hear things that might not be believable given what we know about people?

Marc: Yes. One final thing before you go. If someone does expose a skeleton, it is usually for one of two reasons. Either they trust you enough to let down their mask or they're afraid someone else will expose it.

The three of them got up from the table and left Marc's office for Siebert, where the two Abrams triplets were meeting Billy for lunch and Marc was meeting with the Peer Ministry Alliance.

**********

Tuesday's meeting at the synod offices between WELCA leadership, Bishop Emerson, and Deacons Capshaw and Schmidt brought about a slight bit of understanding for what each of the two sides were advocating, but a fair portion of the stand-off remained, specifically around the notion of "professionalizing" WELCA's membership. Marc brought up the idea of allowing a second women's ministry organization to be recognized within the synod, one that would cater toward that segment of the church who are called to a different vision of their place in ministry and the world as a whole. When asked who might be willing to invest time and intellectual resources to getting such a group off the ground, Marc recommended Paula Rollins and Lynn Emerson and gave Robin and Paul a list of names of other women who he thought would be interested in a possible Lutheran Businesswoman's Association, spanning young professionals, rostered leaders, and seasoned members in the business community.

**********

After dinner on Wednesday night, Lexi invited Cam back to her room so she could have a heart-to-heart with him about their relationship status. This would also be when she would come clean about last year. Once inside, they each took a seat on the carpeted floor.

Lexi: Cam, you may be wondering why I asked you to come back here with me. My mom called me on Monday to get some ideas for Thanksgiving and Christmas and to find out if I was planning to ask you to join us for one or both holidays. She seems to believe we're a couple, but I haven't thought of you in that way yet. I mean, I like you and all, but I don't know if I'm ready to be in a relationship at the moment as the last one I was in did some serious damage to me emotionally.

Cam: I like you as well. I think of you as my girl, even though we haven't talked about that yet. I understand your hesitance to label us right now and I'm OK with there not being one. I'm not looking around, that I can promise you, so whenever you might be ready to take that step, we can do so.

Lexi scooted closer to Cam and leaned forward to peck him on the lips.

Lexi: See, I'm not afraid of treating you like you're my guy. I just need a bit of time to clear out scar tissue from Sergio's mental and verbal abuse of me before I can move on with you.

Cam took Lexi's hands in his and the two of them interlocked their fingers before moving their heads toward one another and exchanging a loving kiss filled with happiness.

Lexi: That relationship check-up wasn't the only reason I asked you over. This weekend, two local police departments are planning to do a raid on a number of hotels in the North Shore, attempting to catch Trinity students engaging in illegal activity. Some of those they hope to nab are teammates of mine and one or two might attempt to lessen their culpability by naming names and dragging others down with them. I thought I should talk to you ahead of time in case my name got thrown around after the fact. Last year, I got into trouble here for falsely accusing Coach Dillon of sexual harassment in order to hide a secret life I was living. I was put on academic restriction and had my meal plan cut for lying to Human Resources and Deacon Schmidt about it.

Cam was silent while Lexi continued with her confession.

Lexi: When I arrived on campus last August, Coach Manning asked me and a few of my teammates if we were interested in doing fundraising for the athletic department. She told us what some of the perks of the job would be and how we'd be helping our post-college selves by getting in good with fat-cat donors and alumni.

Cam: Sounds fairly innocent, but I'm guessing there's a lot more to the story.

Lexi: Yes. This "alumni relations" job required us to engage potential donors and provide certain benefits to them in exchange for their contributions. Over the summer, I decided to quit the job because it was taking up so much of my time and left me too worn-out and tired to do well academically. That's what caused Sergio and I to break up, because he wanted me to continue with it. The emotional wreckage I still carry from that relationship is because he accused me of being a slut who would put out for money but not for him. He also threatened to spread the word to others about my misdeeds, attempting to shame me into keeping my job and staying with him.

Cam: I think I get the picture. No need to go into specifics.

Lexi: I have given your sister an exclusive interview about my past and what goes on inside the secret world of a prostitution ring, which she is planning to submit to the Trinity Times after this weekend's sting.

Lexi looked down at the floor, trying to find the words to convince Cam that she wasn't now what she was then. Cam broke the silence.

Cam: How do you feel now about what you were doing?

Lexi: I feel as though I have ruined myself a bit. The specialness of two people making that first physical connection is something I won't be able to experience because of what I've done. My ability to say "no" I feel is taken away because people can use my past against me and heap shame upon me. As I said when we went out for Sweetest Day, I feel like damaged goods when it comes to unshackling myself from those things I did. You said then that you didn't see me as damaged goods. Has your opinion changed now that you know?

Cam spent a bit of time conjuring up what he wanted to say in response. Once he felt his head and his heart had found the proper words, he expressed himself to Lexi.

Cam: Today in worship, Deacon Schmidt talked about forgiveness and redemption from the standpoint of people having skeletons in their closets and how we shouldn't hold a person's past against them if we weren't part of it. I can only judge you based on the time frame we've known each other. I haven't seen anything from you in the past two months or so to indicate a need to bring the past forward. Besides, there are so many variables that affect why people do what they do. How much of it was puppy stupids, how much rebellion against society or your parents, how much was being in a bad relationship and using sex to make yourself feel better, how much was peer pressure to fit in with your teammates? Any of those could have been the trigger and I don't think even YOU can parse out what exactly led you down the slippery slope.

Lexi: So you forgive me for what I did?

Cam: I don't need to, since I wasn't there when all of this happened. I wasn't harmed by it, you haven't been pushy with me on the physical front as a result of it, and I believe you're capable of leaving it behind. Might need to continue to talk out your feelings about it, possibly with a professional, but to me, the past you is not who I'm dating, or whatever it is we're doing.

Lexi wiped a few tears from her eyes, as Cam's words hit her solidly in the heart. She closed the distance between them and sat down on top of his upper legs, then wrapped her arms around him while resting her head on his shoulder. He looked over at her and their eyes met, leading Lexi to press her lips softly but firmly against Cam's, giving back to him some of the love he expressed to her verbally.


	70. Trolling In Shallow Water

On Thursday afternoon, in a study room at Rincker Library, Marc had gathered a veritable mix of campus staff to go over Monday's expected press conference and its components.

Marc: Thank you all for giving up some of your time to help prepare for Monday morning and how we plan to address the fallout from this weekend's planned sting in Brown Deer and Glendale. The more we can anticipate and plan today, the less we will need to do on Sunday and in the hours before the press conference. Don, do you want to lead off?

Don Garrett (TLU President): We can trot out the "we were caught unaware of this" schtick, but I think we should instead go hard on who we know is behind it and put the perpetrators on the defensive.

Bishop Paul Emerson: I can see the media attempting to portray the ring as symptomatic of the loosening of moral standards at Trinity from those held by Concordia-Wisconsin and dragging up the changes to the Student Code of Conduct as examples of us encouraging students to be less-chaste. How do we address THAT?

Don: We have Marc as the ultimate ace in the hole since he's been ALL OVER this since last fall and will be handling the adjudication of those caught tomorrow and Saturday. Who can question where we stand on the morality of the issue if he's in charge of dishing out discipline?!

Marc: Since everything I presented to the Board of Trustees points at Gavin and Sara Manning as the point people for the ring, any thoughts on how to keep them out of way during the on-campus investigation as I doubt either one of them will be close to where the raids take place and therefore won't get snagged?

Don: Administrative Leave starting technically on Sunday, but announced at the outset of the presser on Monday.

Marc: Can you clear with the provost my ability to place the students on administrative suspension from classes until the disciplinary process is complete?

Don: Will do. With Gavin on administrative leave, Jamie, you'll be in charge of the athletic department with all authority vested in the position.

Jamie: I understand and will attempt to help the school ride out the storm, acting when necessary but preferring to allow the Chaplain's Office to maintain lead investigator status. Kara and Casey, the two of you will have important roles in the aftermath, from making sure the NCAA doesn't try to step in before we figure out sanctions to working with professors on behalf of the student-athletes in implementing any academic penalties to rendering decisions of your own on the eligibility status of those arrested.

Kara: I know what's coming my way and I'm glad Marc is here so I can utilize his experience in handling it.

Casey: With the potential sanctions passed down just days before finals, I should go over with the provost what options are available related to them and to Spring semester enrollment.

Amy Roving (University Communications): What do the several of you want going out on Monday morning in terms of a press release of the weekend's activities and how do you want the press conference to run?

Don: A number of us will make statements based on our part in the process and the university's need to get out on the front foot with our response. Because of Buckley and FERPA, we can't publicly release the names of the student-athletes arrested, although they will probably be in the Journal/Sentinel come Sunday morning. I think just the basics and announcement of the press conference will suffice. As for the press conference, I should open, then let the cops provide a summary of what took place and the figures for the sting. After that, I'll come back up and mention the immediate sanctions on the athletes, Gavin, and Sara before letting the other big-wigs address the media, starting with Paul, then Jamie, Marc, and Albert. We'll take questions after that.

Elly Dismore (Trinity SID): Same goes for the athletic department's release?

Don: You can be a little more specific as to which teams are affected and the administrative suspensions mentioned, but same general information.

Marc: Albert, Hope, Bob, and Heather, I am hoping to pass along some of the discipline for you to dish out, especially on the small-time players. Another thing I plan to do is parcel out the intake process to others under my office's domain. I and those selected will meet on Sunday evening to go over the list of those picked up and divide them, with the student chaplains handling the smaller ones and me taking care of the big fish.

Amy: Can I mention who will be at the press conference in our release?

Don: I'd be cautious on that. Paul and I can be named, but you might want to just use something general to indicate there will be others speaking as well.

Marc: Anything else before we buckle in for the bumpy ride between now and Monday morning?

Hearing nothing, Marc brought the meeting to a close. He and Paul discussed his and Dani's plan to go public at TLU's holiday party, with the bishop stating he would consider her his partner for future out-of-synod events, equal to Danielle's standing before her death.

**********

The Trinity Invitational began with Luther and Concordia-Moorhead's women's basketball teams facing off. Despite being behind by double digits at the half (41-25), the Norse were able to overcome the Cobbers over the final twenty minutes and advanced to the championship game with a 73-66 win. As the two teams left the floor, the Trinity Lutheran Thunder and Finlandia Lions were entering the gymnasium to begin warm-ups. Marc was talking with Dan Paulson, asking when he would be called upon to deliver the invocation for the women's basketball season. While waiting for pre-game activities to commence, he received a text from Wil.

WilTrainor: When will you be free from Trinity? Sarah and Dani want to double tonight.

Marc returned Wil's text. "Game 3 is scheduled to start at 5:00, and I can leave after doing the invocation before it. Where do they want to go?"

A couple minutes passed before Wil wrote back. "Christmas Tree Lighting at Bayshore starts at 6, then we can debate where to have dinner afterwards."

Marc sent a response telling Wil he would be down there as soon as possible and would meet them outside Bath and Body Works. After a quick visit to the restroom, he went back into the gym as warm-ups were concluding. The starting lineups were announced, followed by Marc's invocation and the National Anthem.

The Thunder started off the game with a 15-3 run over the opening 3 minutes of the first quarter, leading to a 32-11 advantage after one period of play. Trinity head coach Alice Gilbert sat her starters for the second quarter, which allowed the Lions to close the gap to 49-35 by halftime. In the second half, Nicole Elias and Kelsey Prescott put up 8 points each, giving them 21 and 26 for the game. When the final horn sounded, the Thunder had secured their place in tomorrow's title game against Luther with an 82-59 win.

**********

Sarah and Wil were standing at the east end of the Bayshore Town Square waiting for their dinner companions to arrive. After a short shopping excursion into Bath and Body Works by Dani, she and Marc walked across the street to Town Square and joined the other two. Dani stood in front of Marc, leaning back into his chest with his arms around her waist, while Sarah and Wil were side-by-side, holding hands. Marc kissed the top of Dani's head, causing her to look up at him and pull his head down so her lips could meet his. Wil saw this and placed a peck on Sarah's cheek, causing her to turn and face him. Seeing an opportunity to increase her showing of affection to him, she pecked him on the forehead, then on the nose, with her bending down after that to place one on his lips. At 6:00, the mayor of Glendale, Bryan Kincaid, flipped the switch and the 40-foot tree in the center of Town Square was illuminated. After a few Christmas carols were sung by those gathered, the celebration broke up. The two couples talked about where to have dinner, settling on Hom Wood Fired Grill.

Dani: Tonight marks the one-year anniversary of when the four of us went on our first dates with each other. That, and the tree lighting, is why I wanted us to get together tonight.

Marc: It's a good thing we're doing this tonight instead of possibly tomorrow night with the sting happening just south of here on Port.

Sarah: You mean the one that will hopefully take down Gavin and Sara's little enterprise?

Marc: Precisely. So how are the two of you doing on the relationship front? Last time we talked collectively, a couple of months ago, you were going to discuss with each other the boundaries and expectations of fidelity and meeting your same-sex needs.

Wil: Well, we talked that night at my place and laid out what we each needed from one another as well as others. We also discussed a few of our long-term goals and things we want to do in the future, how we see life in three, five, ten years. Ended the night making our first total body connection with each other.

Marc: That is great to hear. Have either of your families weighed in yet on the two of you together?

Sarah: My parents weren't fazed when I told them about Wil and I moving past being best friends because my mom has known I've wanted him since we first crossed paths in middle school.

Wil: Everyone in my family went apeshit with delight over Sarah and I becoming a couple. They know I've loved her for a while despite us both being committed to finding same-sex partners. It's been two months or so since you two made it unofficially official. What's been the reaction?

Marc: My inner circle has been good with it. No one other than my nephew Matt has had anything but a positive reaction to it, and his grumble was mostly defiance and then jealousy.

Dani: My family has been a different story. My mom and Aunt Judy have both been antagonistic about our relationship. The others have given us a chance to display what exists before passing judgment. With the holidays coming up, I don't know how we'll handle the desire to spend time together with our families yet avoid the inevitable sniping of those two.

Marc: Well, Thanksgiving won't be an issue since I'll be going up to Laurie and Will's with Matt. As for Christmas, my people are good with the two of us and I'm sure Laurie and Becca will want to include you in our gathering, which probably will happen before Christmas because of our trip to Vancouver and my desire to spend at least one day of that span celebrating our first Christmas together, just the two of us.

Dani swooned a little at Marc's suggestion before asking him if he had ideas for an intervention should she and the rest of her family fail to win over the two older women. He reminded her that Laurie would be coming down during finals week to pick up Matt and would probably try to spend time with Erin and Steph. "Maybe do the same thing Angela did with your dad. Get everyone you want in one place, don't tell any of them who else will be there, and let the conversation happen about me, you, us, with the others' opinions at the ready."

Dani said she'd contact Laurie after Thanksgiving to set up a time for the two of them to get together while she was down here. As the two couples were walking back toward the parking garage, Marc and Dani held hands with their fingers interlocked, causing Sarah to rib them for being sickeningly cute. Passing Town Square, they ran into Angela, Brent, and the kids. Angela commented on seeing the four of them together and the Kodak moment in front of her. After a few minutes of talking, the Struyes continued their walk around the plaza while the others finished their stroll to their cars. Before leaving the parking garage, Marc and Dani shared a few tender moments together, ending with the two in a several-second lip lock.

**********

At the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel in Brown Deer, Dionne was preparing for her first appointment of the evening, limbering up her openings so she could handle the gentlemen who would be arriving shortly. There was a knock on the door of her room, which she answered. After acknowledging that she was part of TLU's post-game entertainment, she led the two men in. She went to work first on the taller and more well-built of the pair, wrapping her hand and mouth around his member to get him hard. After bringing her client to a satisfactory stiffness, she turned her oral attention to the other man while the first one went behind Dionne and slipped himself inside her. She was very accomplished at having her multiple openings engaged and brought both Luther College basketball players to climaxes. As the men were dressing, Dionne looked them over and got a bit of a queasy stomach, admiring their boy-next-door features and the politeness which they displayed while she serviced them.

As the night went on, Dionne and other student-athletes met with clients, bringing in a tidy sum for the athletic department. At 10:45, two Brown Deer police officers walked into the hotel and inquired at the front desk about team reservations associated with the Trinity Invitational as well as rooms rented by single females. They were provided with the information requested and radioed for additional officers to come in. Once together, the five officers then spread out along the first floor corridor so they could do a simultaneous raid on the presumed prostitutes. When the lead officer's watch reached 11:00, he signaled to the others to move up to the doors and prepare to barge into the rooms. A ten-second countdown was given, then the officers plowed through the doors and into the temporary love nests. They found one student-athlete alone in her room but with evidence of having had a previous customer in plain sight, two others with single men, and Dionne lying on the edge of the bed with a woman sitting on her face and a man in a standing position preparing to penetrate her. The cops broke up the acts and arrested all in sight, walking them out of the hotel in handcuffs.


	71. Busted

Gavin, Sara, and Carli met in his office on Saturday morning to discuss plans for that evening and how to fill in the voids left by last night's arrests.

Sara: Money last night was good, but we had four of our girls picked up at the Four Points in Brown Deer. We'll have to replace them out there as tonight is a MUCH heavier workload and we can't just move the appointments to one of the Port Washington Road hotels.

Gavin: So how do we fill in the gaps that exist in tonight's schedule?

Sara: A combination of putting out another call for participants, sending a couple of the ones scheduled for Baymont out to Four Points, moving a couple from Holiday Inn to La Quinta, and bringing Carli and Allie up to the Holiday Inn from the Hilton. As for filling in THOSE spots, I don't really have an idea about that.

Gavin: I'll make some calls and see if I can encourage a couple of last year's graduates to step in tonight for us. Sara, are you prepared to participate tonight if need be?

Sara: Yes. I'll be at the Holiday Inn and will probably jump in on any multi-client appointments with either Carli or Allie.

Carli: It sucks that Dionne got nabbed last night. That takes away our most-adventurous person, which means needing multiple women to replace her.

Gavin: Be careful tonight. I'm most worried about a raid on the Baymont since that seems to be the place the Glendale cops target when out on patrol. Buddy system as much as you can except when on duty.

Carli: I'll make sure everyone knows that and to travel together to their locations.

Feeling as though things are in place for a successful evening, Gavin adjourned the meeting and went to contact some alumnae before heading to Buuck for Day 2 of the Trinity Invitational.

**********

During the Concordia-Moorhead/Finlandia third-place game of the women's tournament, Dionne was roaming the corridors at Buuck hoping to set up a small schedule of clients for herself that evening. Having no success, she went inside the gym and sat down behind the Thunder's players, then talked a little bit with Kelsey about last night and her desire to find some action for tonight despite being on the bench due to her arrest. At halftime, she went back out to the concourse and saw the two teams from Luther College come into the facility, then noticed the two players from last night and wondered if she could get one or both interested in an encore performance. She sat down on one of the stone benches nearby and was joined a couple of minutes later by a member of the Norse men's basketball team.

Spencer Scoggins: Funny running into you here. Are you a student at Trinity?

Dionne: Yes. Play for the women's soccer team. First year. No clue what I want to do in life. You?

Spencer: Senior. Majoring in Health and Fitness Promotion. Hoping to use the degree to work with a pro or college team as a strength and conditioning coach.

Dionne: Must be nice to have goals and a general idea what you want to be when you finish your education.

Spencer: It's good and bad, you know? Good in that you have a target at which to aim, but bad because the pressure is there to stick with it even if you feel pulled another direction later on.

Dionne: This may sound funny, but I actually enjoyed my time with you and your teammate last night. VERY different than a number of the guys that have come through our fundraising operation so far this year.

Spencer blushed slightly. "I was SO nervous walking down from our room on the third floor to visit you. I almost backed out, but in the end I'm glad I didn't."

Dionne: Any chance you'd want to drop by tonight after your game? Same room as last night.

Spencer thought about it for a few seconds. "How early can we meet up?"

Dionne: I'm not booking anything tonight prior to 10:00, so if you get back before say 9, just stop down. I'll be waiting.

Spencer whispered to Dionne, "What's the going rate for what Damon and I received last night?"

Dionne: Two people, $200. Same person, $250. Being a returning client, I'll do it for $200.

Spencer nodded and told her he'd try to make it by 9. After the two smiled at each other, he went back into the gym and rejoined his team.

**********

Marc had several members of the younger set at the house for a guys' night, highlighted by UFC 37. He wanted to check in with the guys on their academic and social success at Trinity and offer advice or help if needed.

Marc: I hope school is going well for all of you. Any worries about finals yet?

Corey: A little, because I'll be applying to the School of Nursing next semester and these grades will be the last ones on my transcripts before then.

Billy: Probably more nervous about forgetting when they are rather than about how I'll do.

Matt O.: No sweat as I see it. Staying up on everything so there should be no surprises come exam week.

Marc: Our little nerd.

Matt O.: Hey! Mom's the only one who gets to call me that, UNCLE MARC!

Marc: I guess I deserved that. Last time I saw all of you in one place, possibly, was the Homecoming dance. Any success on the lady front in the past six weeks?

Dawson: I'll go first since I've got the longest-standing relationship of everyone here, probably. Michelle and I are doing great. Her and my stepmom get along very well, she adores my little sister and has offered to have her and I sit for her if Dad and Megan want to go out some night. I am planning to ask her to go on vacation with me after Christmas, since we'll both be off from school. Anyone have good ideas on where to go?

Brad: What are you looking to have come out of the time together, if anything?

Dawson: I want to get over the physical hurdle that's there between us, which is due mostly to not having significant alone time together to push the boundaries. I also want us to be able to talk about the future a little, like how she sees her teaching career progressing, whether she wants to go back for her Master's, thoughts I'm having about my summer internship, and what happens when I finish in May of 2021.

Marc: Sarah and Wil did a trip to the Boundary Waters over the summer and said it gave them space and time to have the type of conversations and interaction you seem to be seeking from your vacation with Michelle. Maybe look for a ski resort that has lodging and other activities on top of being on the slopes if neither of you are particularly adept or desiring to be outside for long stretches of time. Some might even have New Year's Eve events so you can ring in 2020 all fancy-like.

Corey: Ali and I seem to be hovering. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. Neither of us has said we're no longer interested in the other, but it's been tough finding time to be together at school.

Matt B.: Finding time isn't really the issue, because we all find time to do things. You need to carve out time, such as scheduling a weekly dinner date or set aside part of a weekend afternoon to be together.

Marc: Matt's right. I am TRES TRES busy with the chaplain's job, the coaching institute, things I get asked to do for the synod away from Trinity, being on-call for the athletic department if they have a problem, etc. With that, I still try to have one-on-one time with Dani every few days, even if it's stopping for a bite after we leave campus in the afternoon or blocking out an hour for her to visit me at my office in Luther. Doesn't have to be special to be meaningful to your beloved.

Cam: Whatever Lexi and I are is in third gear or so. We're sort of something, but without a label for it at the moment. She told me she needs some time to get past what her ex did to her before she would be ready to start another relationship, and I'm OK with that. I have time and I know she's not going anywhere and I told her the same as it relates to me.

Matt O.: Sounds like you're practicing the concept of "I don't have to be her first, I just have to be her last."

Cam: Pretty much.

Marc: You're doing the right thing. Be the steady shoulder for her to lean on when necessary and continue to express your feelings for her. It's a marathon, not a sprint.

Billy: Danny and I have gone out a couple of times and flirted a bit, but I think both of us are a little hesitant to take the next step. How do you break through that barrier?

Marc: Like Nike said, "Just Do It." Seriously, you figure out what you want to say or do and you just do it. So it might blow up in your face. I'd rather take the risk of trying to move something ahead too quickly than waiting and having the other person possibly lose interest.

Billy: On the other hand, Danny's roommate and Tori are making tracks. They're going to the GAA banquet together next weekend. The women's lacrosse coach is supposed to be receiving an award as the department's greatest ally to LGBTQ student-athletes.

Brad: Things are good with Gretchen. We're together, I guess, but not too tied at the hip. I'll get to meet her parents over Thanksgiving break, which has me a bit scared.

Marc: You should be, a little bit. Both Greg and Stefani have some grit to them, which means they might try to make you squirm a little to see how you react.

Matt B.: Cali's having trouble with her mom accepting the situation between her and I, mostly because she doesn't think Cali sees me as endgame, that she'll go looking for someone with more outward flash and potential.

Marc: Excuse me, but Judy is a bitch! You've probably heard from Cali about the kind of trouble her and her sister have been giving Dani about me. We were talking last night at dinner with Sarah and Wil about having my sister, Erin, and Steph do an intervention when she comes down to rescue Matt after finals. So, goofy nephew, any luck snagging either of the roommates on Augsburg 3?

Matt O.: The hockey player is gone so much that I haven't been able to actually talk to her. As for her roommate, I like how she looks and she seems to be the right balance of serious and outgoing, but I've yet to make a move in that direction. Can you help?

Marc: Maybe I can, and maybe I can't. Your cousins might do better at it than I since Julie isn't a regular attender of worship but is reasonably accessible to Erin and Steph. I'll see them on Monday and ask on your behalf.

As the UFC prelims were finishing up, all the guys went into the kitchen to load up plates with chicken wings, chips, and barbecue meatballs before returning to the living room for the start of the main card.

**********

While Dionne was getting ready for the night's opening lay, her thoughts went to the man who it would be. Feeling a slight bit of care for him, she decided to up the heat a bit and to take things where they go. Spencer arrived at 8:45, with Dionne answering the door in a red negligee and 5" black platform pumps. Once the door was closed behind them, he pulled out his wallet and gave Dionne her pay for the agreed-upon acts (oral and vaginal sex), which she laid upon the end table. Dionne was slow and deliberate in stripping Spencer, then took her time to get his organ up to attention, alternating between soft sucks on the tip and kisses and licks on the shaft. Within a few minutes, he was reasonably erect and thus she began her oral ministrations on his cock. Spencer tilted his head back and took in the sensations Dionne was providing him. He wanted to be a bit more active with her and ran his fingers through her hair, spurring her on to bring him to orgasm. A few deep-throat sucks brought him off, with her swallowing his cum.

Dionne: I'm going to break a couple of rules now. First, I'm going to direct you into me and once you're in and going, you can touch me as you please.

Dionne directed him to move back on the bed and lie down. She then got onto the bed and straddled him with her back to him. After guiding his hardened wand inside her, she began moving up and down upon it. Spencer moved his hands onto her hips and pulled up the bottom of her lingerie, taking it off her. Following that, he ran his palms along Dionne's sides and placed his hands on her breasts, squeezing them softly. Dionne was getting seriously aroused by his touch and the rhythm of their connection. Breaking another one of her rules, she released him and turned around to face the man before reconnecting with him. Her eyes looked down at Spencer and she felt some affection for him, leading her to bend forward and then roll onto her back, with him taking charge of the moment. Her thoughts were scattered as she enjoyed the way he was making her feel. As he was getting close to climax, she stared into his eyes intently, wanting to experience the intensity of a full-body connection with him. His increased pace was matched by her and she asked him to cum inside her instead of pulling out, which happened a short time later. Nearly out-of-breath, Spencer leaned forward onto Dionne's chest. She gave him a peck on the cheek and said, "Take your time. No rush." A couple of minutes passed before he withdrew from her and went to put on his clothes. As he was dressing, Dionne took the money from the end table and held onto it. Once he was completed, she asked him to sit down on the bed and tried to return the $200 to him.

Spencer: Why are you handing me back my money?

Dionne: Because I didn't treat you properly as a client.

Spencer: You were fantastic. Totally earned it.

He tried to hand it back to her, but she wouldn't accept it.

Dionne: No, because if I take it, it's a transaction, one that should not have emotion attached to it. Truth is, I felt a little something when we talked this afternoon, which is why I threw in a couple of extras. During the second part of tonight's activities, I felt something more, stronger, like I didn't want to view you as a client anymore but as someone with whom I WANTED to be intimate. That's why I looked you square in the eyes near the end, so we might connect at a deeper level.

Spencer was stumped for how to respond. He accepted her explanation for not wanting to keep his payment, which led to a few questions.

Spencer: We should at least know one another's name if we're going to consider tonight a hook-up as opposed to a transaction. I'm Spencer.

Dionne leaned toward him and kissed him on the cheek. "Dionne. So where are you from?"

Spencer: Home is Johnston, Iowa, a suburb of Des Moines. You?

Dionne: Menomonee Falls, which is about five miles west of here. Do you have a girlfriend back at Luther?

Spencer: No. At this point, I'm waiting to graduate and then will start looking once I'm settled.

Dionne: I'd like to stay in contact with you if you don't mind.

Spencer: I'd like that.

Spencer stood up and went into the drawer of the end table, grabbing the small notepad and pen inside. He jotted down his email address for her, then had her do the same for him. As the two of them walked to the door, they looked at one another and smiled, then Spencer kissed Dionne's hand and departed. She sat back down on the bed and thought through what had happened.

Dionne (internal monologue): I didn't expect THAT to happen, catching feelz for him. He was so nice and considerate, and I truly felt like there was more to it than just the physical action. If something would occur with him, I wouldn't want to treat him the way Carli does her man. Just get through tonight and I'll have a few weeks to see what is what.

A knock at the door brought Dionne back to the here-and-now. She answered it and invited in her next set of clients, a foursome. She showed the quartet a very good time, with three of them filling her holes and the fourth receiving a hand job. As they all came close to orgasm, the men pulled out and began stroking themselves in order to shoot their wads across Dionne's body. It was then that the room's door was rammed open.


	72. Shut It Down

The lobby of the Four Points by Sheraton was filled with a sizable number of guests, most of whom had heard the commotion on the first floor and came to investigate. As the three student-athletes and their clients passed through the crowd, Spencer noticed Dionne among them. Still having the $200 he withdrew for their time together, he raced upstairs, changed into street clothes, and came back down to the lobby. Once there, he asked one of the police officers where the station was located. After being told, he left the hotel and made his way the handful of blocks to the Brown Deer Police Department, seeking to get Dionne out of jail.

**********

Six units from the Glendale Police Department were deployed at the four hotels along the one-mile strip of Port Washington Road between Hampton Avenue and Silver Spring Drive. Two were at the Baymont and the Holiday Inn, while single units were at La Quinta and Motel 6. The four lead officers coordinated their watches and planned out the raid, with ones at the Baymont and Motel 6 commencing at 11:00, the one at La Quinta ten minutes later, and the one at the Holiday Inn at 11:30. As the Brown Deer officers had done the previous night, the Glendale cops entered the hotels fifteen minutes ahead of time, checking with the front desk for rooms reserved by Trinity Lutheran University as well as those being occupied by single females. Armed with the information, the twelve members of Glendale's finest spread out along the corridors of the four hotels in preparation for their planned actions.

On the stroke of 11pm, the four officers at the Baymont and the two at Motel 6 charged forward into the designated rooms and broke up what action was in front of them, with three women and four men picked up at the former and two women and two men at the latter. Two more Trinity athletes were arrested at La Quinta, with two units moving down to the Holiday Inn for what was expected to be the big score of the evening.

Carli, Sara, and Allie were with a handful of patrons associated with North Shore Mutual in one of the rooms. The first two were expertly servicing the men while Allie was sitting on a chair, not feeling very well. The moans and groans coming from the two ambassadors drowned out the noise in the hallway. Right at 11:30, the door to their room was popped open and two cops entered with guns at the ready. One closed the door behind her while the other moved around the room cuffing all those present. The seven of them were led out of the room and down the hall, followed by Kelsey Prescott and Nicole Elias with the men they were entertaining. A police wagon was outside waiting for the arrival of those arrested, with a reporter and cameraman from WTMJ in the vicinity. As the student-athletes and their clients were led out of the hotel, the reporter attempted to get some words from the police officers as well as the ladies, but was unsuccessful. Once the thirteen individuals were loaded into the police wagon and cars, the four vehicles were off to Glendale Police Headquarters.

**********

After a good night's sleep following the UFC card, Marc arose on Sunday morning eager to find out the numbers and spread of the weekend's sting. Scrolling through the Journal/Sentinel website, he found an article on it, which disclosed the names of 17 student-athletes, one member of the TLU athletics staff, and 25 others that were arrested and charged. Marc printed out the list and compared the names with what he had in the file on the ring, then started to determine who he'd like to have handle the initial interview for each of the women.

Don Garrett gave Marc a call around 10:00 to discuss plans for tomorrow.

Don: Now we have names, and there are a LOT. Paul and I are going to be facing some stern questioning tomorrow given the number of student-athletes involved.

Marc: Not to mention Sara Manning getting picked up. We have to operate as though they are innocent until proven guilty, but the corroborating evidence from the past year on some of them makes them decidedly less innocent than others. Big conversation you, I, and Jamie should have after the presser is what to do about the women's soccer program, since their head coach and three players were nabbed, and there are more that have been part of the ring in the past or were lucky to avoid arrest the last two nights.

Don: You're right. You talked to Danielle yet?

Marc: No, and that's something we should discuss as well, based on Gavin's desire to move the team to D-I after next season and how that influences the way Jamie might want to go forward.

Don: I'm sure you're working up a storm today to be fully prepared for tomorrow and the days to follow, so I should let you get back to it. See you at 9:45 in the Friends of Concord Room at Buuck.

Marc: Take care.

While on the phone with Don, Marc received a few text messages from interested parties.

EDMatheson17: You want Steph and I over early?

DaniPDillon: How did the sting turn out?

KaraCallen: Jeez! 17?!?! AND Coach Manning?! I will DEFINITELY need your help as the facts come to light and we as a department try to fend off the NCAA's investigators.

TripletTori: Who do I contact about getting access to tomorrow's press conference?

Marc wrote the four of them back, answering their questions. Feeling as though he was in good position for his meeting tonight with Erin, Steph, Alyssa, Julie Jacobsen, and Abby, he went out to the couch and settled in for an afternoon of vegging in front of the large-screen TV.

**********

Marc fell asleep watching the Costa Rica/Guatemala Olympic women's soccer qualifier and was awoken when Erin and Steph came in, eager to catch the second half of the doubleheader, which would pit Canada against Jamaica.

Steph: Wake up, pops! We've got a game to watch.

Marc: Oh yeah. Sort of forgot about the games today with all the busyness leading up to this weekend.

Marc got up and moved to the recliner, allowing the girls to spread out on the couch.

Erin: Did the sting work?

Marc: I'd say so. 17 student-athletes got picked up, along with 25 others and one of Trinity's coaches.

Steph: Not one of our baes, I hope.

Marc: Nope.

The landline in Marc's office rang, prompting him to go answer it.

Paul Emerson: Marc, it's Paul. Wanted to check in and see what came of the sting.

Marc: 17 student-athletes and one coach were arrested. Better be wearing flame-retardant clothes tomorrow.

Paul: Will you need coverage while you're knee-deep in cleaning up this mess?

Marc: I should be fine. The Big Three can all step in and handle various aspects of my job temporarily while I'm assisting the athletic department.

Paul: When should I be to campus in the morning?

Marc: Don is having everyone gather in the Friends of Concord Room in Buuck at 9:45.

Paul: I might come up earlier than that, talk with you, Jamie, and Don before the reporters start in on us.

Marc: I'll be up there by 8, but might not be available until after 9 because I want to meet with my MUSC mob and prepare them for what will transpire after the press conference.

Paul: Mob? How many former players of yours are at Trinity?

Marc: Four at the moment, and all of them will be on the front lines once things start to move. One is, of course, Danielle. The other three are the HR director, the athletic department's academic advisor, and the department's compliance officer. I guess I have one question for you before we finish. Do you happen to have any notes from the conversation we had several months ago about Gavin's plans for the athletic department and the hypothetical scenario I gave you?

Paul: Not sure that I do.

Marc: OK. I'll just try to remember the chain of events I laid out relative to this push of his to go D-I with women's soccer and whether Don can kibosh it in light of the fallout which will occur as a result of the ring coming to light.

Paul: Make sure you get your sleep and don't work 24/7 on this. I'll see you somewhere around 9:30 at your office.

Marc hung up and went back to the living room to watch the remainder of the game with Erin and Steph. A pair of tallies from Janine Beckie and Jordyn Huitema gave Canada a 4-0 win and first place in their group.

**********

After dinner, Marc passed out the lists of student-athletes the peer ministers would contact and interview.

Alyssa: Alicia Chapman, Amanda Kissinger (hockey), Monica Ament (softball)

Erin: Julie Koerner, Jolene Harmon (XC), Jennifer Casper (tennis)

Steph: Corinne Douglas, Tanya Biermann, Allyson Turnbull (all cheer)

Julie: Shannon Marcus, Julianne McBride (both acro)

Abby: Sydney Montoya, Kelsey Prescott, Nicole Elias

Marc: Dionne Powell, Carli Lowe, Allie Lerner

The five peers looked over the names and shook their heads at who was listed.

Alyssa: Two of my teammates?!

Erin: Julie?!?! That doesn't seem right.

Abby: I've got a couple of the heavy hitters, it looks like.

Marc: They are, but not as big as the three soccer players I'm doing myself. THOSE are the big fish in this and they have the ability to implicate Gavin and Coach Manning as the ringleaders.

Steph: How do we go about contacting them?

Marc: The campus email system. This way, there are copies of the request and response.

Julie: What is our actual role in this process? Do we interview and pass the transcripts onto you? Do we get to administer sanctions in line with the Student Code of Conduct? What if the athlete chooses not to cooperate?

Marc: The purpose of using the five of you is to get statements sufficient that I can possibly render judgment based on the transcript as opposed to needing to hold a hearing. If a student-athlete won't open up, they will have to come before me and plead their case. Otherwise, I will rely on the police record and corroborating and rebuttal witnesses to bring forth a decision.

Abby: Will we have a standard list of questions or will we need to come up with our own?

Marc: I'll give you a list, but you can follow-up on any of them if you feel inclined.

Alyssa: Anything else we should know before tomorrow?

Marc: A couple of things. One, I will be offering Trinity students a two-day window during which they can self-disclose involvement in the ring without fear of major university penalty. The individual can come to me, one of you, or Jamie. They'll still be subject to sanctions from their coach, however. Second, I chose the five of you and gave you specific student-athletes because part of the process is for you to use your skills in offering a sympathetic ear and being a safe person to whom they can share any underlying issues that exist.

Erin: Is there anything tomorrow morning for which we're responsible?

Marc: Making initial contact with those on your list between now and our meeting at Noon. If any of you are able to attend the 10am press conference, please do so.

Abby and Alyssa told Marc they would be able to make it. He then asked if either of them wanted to participate in addition to being acknowledged, to which they said no. Abby, Alyssa, and Julie left Marc's house shortly after the meeting wrapped up, with Erin and Steph waiting on their laundry to finish before going back to campus. After the girls departed, Marc texted Dani and asked if they could meet for breakfast at Siebert at 7:15 tomorrow. A couple of minutes later, she responded back with a yes. Marc then retreated to his office to do some initial browsing of possible Christmas gifts for his beloved before heading to bed.


	73. A Fight For Survival

Despite dread hanging over most of their heads, Trinity's cast of high-level personnel knew this morning's press conference was necessary from an informational perspective and as a means of damage control. In their minds, the school needed to push the narrative related to its recovery from this scandal rather than allowing the media to insinuate a wider spread of corruption and malfeasance at the university. Amy Roving and Elly Dismore's press releases about the arrests on Friday and Saturday nights went up on the school's general and athletic websites late Sunday night, providing basic information from Brown Deer and Glendale's police blotters and referencing when and where TLU President Don Garrett planned to address the matter.

Not unexpectedly, a number of key individuals were on campus early. Bishop Emerson and President Garrett met with Board of Trustees Chairman David Strasser to get all three on the same page related to what should be disclosed outright and what should be held back unless questioned on the matter. Acting Athletic Director Jamie Krueger held a meeting with the department's key staff (Kara Callen, Casey Schultz, and Dismore) to fill them in on her plans for managing the fallout from the sting and what she wanted each of them to focus upon today and tomorrow. Meanwhile, at Siebert Dining Hall, Marc and Dani were having breakfast, with him getting her up to speed about what is in the works presently and what might happen in the next couple of days.

Marc: On Thursday, a number of us met in Rincker to plan out the school's response to this past weekend's arrests. At that time, Don decided that Gavin and Sara would be placed on administrative leave while the on-campus investigation and judicial process were happening. Jamie will be acting AD and I am presuming you will be the point person for women's soccer while those two are away.

Dani: You said that I might have a hand in the penalties our team's athletes would receive from you. Will that be true?

Marc: President Garrett, Jamie, and I will be meeting this afternoon to discuss what comes next for women's soccer. I'm expecting Sara to be dismissed by one or the other today or tomorrow, depending on how much additional questioning either will need to do of her to fill in blanks from the police report. The major point I told Don I wanted to take up involved Gavin's push for your team to go D-I after the 2020 season. Based on that, Jamie will decide how she wants to go forward with filling the vacancy and what happens in the interim.

Dani: So I might be promoted and I might not?

Marc: Yes. Don has to sign off on the petition to make women's soccer a Division I program. If Jamie and I can convince him to publicly kibosh the idea, I'm pretty sure Jamie will offer you the job for stability's sake given that multiple players will either be dismissed or suspended for their parts in the ring, not to mention de-commits and transfers. I'll let you know what's decided if I can. In this instance, no news is probably good news.

Dani: Now, big strapping hunk of a man and the owner of my heart, how do you plan to get through everything without having another episode like last December?

Marc: For one, DELEGATE! We have nine peer ministers who won't be working with me on this. They can take up the slack while the six of us are knee-deep in the muck for the next few days. Second, I'm not planning to bring this home with me. While on-campus, it'll be 110% effort, but when I leave, I separate myself from the crisis. Third, do things I enjoy with my beautiful partner, like on Wednesday with the Olympic qualifying semifinals, and tell her if I'm struggling.

Dani smiled at Marc and blew him an air kiss. The pair finished eating and went to their separate offices to get some work accomplished before the press conference.

**********

The Friends of Concord Room in Buuck Athletic Center was filling up with reporters, photojournalists, and Trinity Lutheran administration. At the front of the room stood President Garrett, Bishop Emerson, Officers Roufus and Frost, VP for Student Affairs Albert Moncrief, and Jamie. Marc entered and went up to converse with the several of them. The two officers handed him copies of the police reports from Friday and Saturday nights. He placed them into his messenger bag, which was on a side table, then took up his place at the front of the room. Don walked to the lectern and started the press briefing.

Don Garrett: Welcome, everyone. I'm Don Garrett, and I am the president of Trinity Lutheran University. This past weekend, the Brown Deer and Glendale police departments ran a prostitution sting at several hotels in their municipalities, with a number of Trinity student-athletes swept up during the raids. Before I address how we as an institution will respond to this, I'd like to ask Officer Mark Roufus of the Brown Deer Police Department to come forward and provide for you a summary of the sting.

Mark Roufus: As President Garrett said, my department along with Glendale's raided several hotels in search of solicitation and prostitution. Over the two nights, we arrested a total of 43 individuals, 17 of which were students at Trinity. I would like to thank those who provided information which led to us scheduling the sting. The chaplain's office is in possession of the police reports, from which I expect it will determine appropriate on-campus discipline.

While Officer Roufus walked back to his place, Marc went over to his bag and searched for the report on Sara Manning's arrest. Having found it, he read it over quickly and saw she had confessed to the crime and paid a fine in lieu of going to court. He walked back to his spot on the wall and handed the document to Jamie. Meanwhile, President Garrett was again addressing the media, mentioning that athletic director Gavin Winchester and head women's soccer coach Sara Manning had been placed on administrative leave while Deacon Schmidt and his office continued with their on-campus investigation. He also stated that head volleyball coach and associate athletic director Jamie Krueger would be in charge of the athletic department while Gavin was on leave and that the student-athletes had been suspended from attending classes while their cases were under review. In the meantime, Jamie read over what Marc gave her and waited until Don had finished speaking to share the information with him.

Don Garrett: At this time, we will have Reverend Paul Emerson, Bishop of the Greater Milwaukee Synod of the ELCA, say a few words.

Paul Emerson: It is with a heavy heart that I address you today. When the synod chose to move Carthage College to the former Concordia University campus, nobody thought that in the span of eighteen months or so, a scandal of this nature would befall it. I would like to thank President Garrett for his handling of this situation thus far and Deacon Marc Schmidt, the university's chaplain, for his dogged determination over the past fourteen months to compile enough evidence so as to involve law enforcement in bringing this prostitution ring to an end. Up next is acting athletic director Jamie Krueger.

Jamie Krueger: I need to make an announcement ahead of my remarks. Based on information handed to me a few minutes ago, it is the decision of myself and President Garrett that Sara Manning is dismissed as head women's soccer coach with immediate effect.

A few murmurs could be heard from around the room, which ceased when Jamie began speaking again.

Jamie Krueger: I have been aware of financial mismanagement in the athletic department since the beginning of April, when an audit was done by Rev. Alexandra Schroeder Bailey, Chief Financial Officer of the ELCA. Most of the evidence of wrongdoing pertained to the alumni relations program that Gavin started upon becoming athletic director. It was from within there that the prostitution ring was run. Over the next several days, President Garrett, Deacon Schmidt, and I will go through the police reports and the results of the chaplain's office's ongoing investigation, from which we will determine the future of Trinity Lutheran athletics. Next to speak will be TLU chaplain Deacon Marc Schmidt.

Marc Schmidt: My office has been on top of this ring since it was discovered by a number of student-athletes last Fall. As to why it took until now to bring it down, there were no first-hand accounts and the mountain of corroborating evidence was still insufficient to seek the involvement of law enforcement. On November 4th, I received information from three student-athletes that was strong enough to seek out Officer Roufus and inform him of the alumni relations program's plans for this past weekend. With the arrests made, the process of bringing these individuals to justice can commence. My office will be interviewing each of the 17 women who were picked up either Friday or Saturday night, the transcripts of which will be sent to me. From there, I will determine if a formal hearing needs to be held. If not, I will render a decision and administer the appropriate sanctions. Between now and 9am Wednesday morning, any student-athlete who self-discloses involvement in the ring to myself, a member of my staff, or Jamie Krueger will be given leniency as it relates to sanctions. After that, the full force of my office will come upon any student-athlete who is found to have engaged in this illicit activity. Before I pass the microphone to Dr. Moncrief, I would like to thank those who came forward and helped in large or small ways to bring this racket to an end. Additionally, I wish to point out two members of my office's staff who will be assisting me with the adjudication process, Alyssa Norman and Abby Davidson.

Alyssa and Abby acknowledged Marc from the back of the room, where they were standing with Lexi, Dani, and Cameron, who was running the camera for Tori as she was near the front with the other reporters. Dr. Moncrief stepped forward and explained how his office would assist Marc and Jamie through the use of its residence hall tribunals. Once finished, he stepped back and President Garrett returned to the lectern.

Don Garrett: We will begin taking questions.

Karen Hirsch, Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel: President Garrett, will there be any internal shakeup as a result of the ring coming to light?

Don Garrett: All personnel decisions will be made in consultation with Human Resources based on the evidence which exists. I believe, as does Board of Trustees Chairman David Strasser, that only the athletic department was involved in running it. As the investigation moves along, there could be ancillary figures that are questioned and disciplined.

Shaun Gorton, WTMJ: Ms. Krueger, how many of Trinity's women's teams were implicated?

Jamie Krueger: At the moment, we are sure of at least five as well as the cheerleading squad.

Morgan Andringa, Trinity Times: Deacon Schmidt, how long do you expect the adjudication process to take?

Marc Schmidt: I am hoping my office's staff can wrap up its interviews by tomorrow night, including any self-disclosures. It could be the end of the semester by the time everything is resolved should other university departments prove to be parties to the ring.

Jon Kuiper, JOY 1340: Bishop Emerson, you along with Deacon Schmidt pushed for changes to the Code of Student Conduct last Fall, ones that included new definitions for relationships and a hands-off approach related to sexual conduct by Trinity students. Do you believe these changes contributed to the rise of prostitution among the school's student-athletes?

Paul Emerson: The prostitution ring was the brainchild of one person and one person only, Gavin Winchester. There is no evidence that the general student population has inclinations toward hooking or sexual promiscuity.

Tori Abrams, Thunder Media: Jamie, will Danielle Dillon be taking over as head women's soccer coach?

Jamie Krueger: That is undecided at the moment. She is the department's point of contact for the women's soccer program as of now, but a formal decision on whether to offer her the head coaching position on either an acting, interim, or permanent basis will be determined after I meet with Deacon Schmidt and President Garrett this afternoon.

Aaron Matlock, Fox 6: Deacon Schmidt, what kind of penalties could the student-athletes face?

Marc Schmidt: Depending on the severity of their activity and the level of contrition for it, sanctions can range from campus restriction to loss of parking privileges to academic suspension or dismissal. Those don't include the sanctions I and/or their coaches may hand out as to their continued athletic participation.

President Garrett ended the briefing, after which Amy Roving and Elly Dismore came forward and distributed copies of the administrators' remarks to the gaggle of reporters. Marc stopped on his way out to say hi to Jared Harper, FOX 6's photojournalist assigned to the press conference, who he knew from Lutheran Campus Ministry at UWM. He then returned to his office to make copies of the police reports for Alyssa, Abby, Erin, Steph, and Julie Jacobsen to use in their interviews, which he would distribute when they met for lunch at Noon.

**********

Don: Marc, I'll give you the floor since you're probably the person with the best outside perspective on the women's soccer program, based on your experience and you and Coach Dillon being close.

Marc: The team is going to somewhat gutted by the end of this process as I'm expecting a number of players to be dismissed or suspended along with de-commits and transfers.

Don: What are de-commits?

Jamie: Incoming student-athletes who rescind their previous commitment to attend your school and play for your program.

Don: How bad do you expect it to be?

Marc: The team was scheduled to have all 20 members of it returning for the 2020 season, along with three or four students that Sara would be bringing in as either competition for current players' spots or additional depth. By the time everything shakes out, they could be down 7, 8 players when preseason begins. It's from that perspective that I want to bring up Gavin's plan to elevate the program to Division I for the 2021 season. I don't know of anyone here outside of him that thinks it's a good idea, but again it's never been about advancing women's athletics.

Don: Oh? Fill me in.

Marc gave Jamie and Don a summary of his conversation with Bishop Emerson from March, where he hypothesized Gavin's motivation for the excessive fundraising the department was doing, based on his funding choices related to professional development and continuing education for the school's coaches.

Marc: His desire to have women's soccer become a D-I program has always been about getting access to the pots of gold from the College Football Playoff and March Madness to then funnel into raising the level of the football program to mirror a number of schools in the WIAC. While the upgrades to Niemoller and Buuck are necessary and the school might find itself in better position to host conference and NCAA tournaments as a result of them, it's not the primary reason he began raising funds for the upgrades and created the alumni relations program as the vehicle to do so.

Jamie: Marc has been Gavin's biggest critic over this scheme, which is why he asked Rev. Bailey to come and audit the department for financial mismanagement. With that showing evidence of wrongdoing, he asked the Board of Trustees to allow him to do his own investigation of the department, the results of which he presented to them at their last meeting.

Don: Given what you've described as the potential fallout of this scandal, Marc, what is your expert opinion on the move?

Marc: Been against it from Day One, and doing it in light of the penalties forthcoming to several members of the team would be idiotic. You, however, can stop it from happening, Don.

Don: How?

Marc: The petition to move a program to Division I has to be approved by the school's chief executive officer before it can be submitted to the NCAA. If you were to come out publicly against it and therefore refuse to sign off on it, it doesn't happen.

Don: When can that be done?

Marc: Any time you like. I'd recommend, however, waiting until Jamie has filled Sara's position so it can be included in the press release.

Jamie: I like Danielle. Having seen how she managed the team for their game against Eureka, when Sara was supposedly under the weather, and how she helped stabilize the women's lacrosse program after Lauren Heberlein's departure, I have confidence she is up to the challenge that will belie her following the sanctions levied on her players.

Marc: You know I can't weigh in on this because I have a conflict of interest, but I can probably give the two of you an idea of her preparedness should you choose to elevate her permanently to the head coaching position. First, the continuing education she has done by way of the Urban Coaching Module puts her ahead of most others when it comes to dealing with the off-field issues which will exist over the next several months. Second, her part in helping Sarah Hawthorne and Jamie on the road trip to Michigan following what Lauren had done to the lacrosse program cannot be underestimated. Additionally, she has three former MUSC teammates of hers sprinkled among the staff here, two of which were coaches under me there. Then, there's me.

Don: Who has mentored her since you both arrived here last summer and is most likely the foremost soccer person on this campus at the moment.

Jamie: I know Kara and her played together at Stritch, and Casey mentioned their connection to me at Dani's birthday party. Who's the third?

Marc: Ashley Sasser, the new HR director.

Jamie: I don't see any reason why she shouldn't be given right of first refusal for the opening. Can I make the offer, Don?

Don: Just like I gave you the right to fire Sara, you have the right to fill her position as you wish.

Jamie: OK. I have some errands to run, then. First, go upstairs and grab Kara and Casey. Then, go to HR and work out a standard contract with Ashley. Marc, can we meet in your office in an hour? I'd like to have all of you on-hand for this.

The three executives finished off their meeting and went back to their offices, content with the first actions to rebuild Trinity's athletic department.

**********

Once she arrived on campus, Sarah went to the Urban Coaching Institute office in Rincker and told Dani that Jamie was holding an emergency meeting of the school's coaches in the Lake Shore Room. The two of them left the office and went back up to the main floor. As the pair were walking, Sarah turned right and headed toward Marc's office, telling Dani that she wanted to check with him if any of her players had been involved in this past weekend's activities. When they walked in, the two of them saw Erin, Steph, Cali, Kara, Casey, Nicole Babcock, Sam, Kristie, and Lauren. Feeling like something was a little off, the two friends tentatively moved toward the far side of Marc's desk. Once Jamie and Ashley arrived, Marc asked Kara to close the door.

Marc: I'm sure some of you are wondering why this motley crew has been gathered. Following my meeting with President Garrett and Jamie, I was told by a certain girlfriend of mine that it was someone's birthday. Sam, do you want to do the honors?

Sam led the others in singing "Happy Birthday" to Sarah, then brought out a tray of cupcakes from the bag laying on Marc's desk. Sarah lightly shoved Dani and blushed a little, then thanked her and her players for this surprise.

Marc: Before we dig in, I believe Jamie has an announcement to make.

Jamie: As many of you may know, there was a prostitution sting in the North Shore over the weekend. A sizable number of Trinity student-athletes were arrested, including the head coach of the women's soccer team along with three of her players. Following this morning's press conference, during which Coach Manning was dismissed, and Marc's meeting with his peer ministers, the two of us and President Garrett met to discuss the future of women's soccer at Trinity.

While Jamie was speaking, the office's door was opened and Lexi, Jordan, and Erica slipped into the room.

Jamie: After a fairly long discussion, President Garrett decided that we as a school would not pursue moving the women's soccer program to the Division I level. From there, our next decision was rather easy, and that is why all of you are here. Dani, will you accept my offer to become the next head women's soccer coach of Trinity Lutheran University?

Dani stood slightly stunned, as Marc never hinted at her getting the job outright while they were having breakfast. She looked around the room and saw the anticipation on the faces of her players, friends, and colleagues.

Dani: I am truly humbled that you've chosen to entrust this collection of brave, exceptional women to my care, and I promise to do my best to uphold the athletic, academic, and moral standards of TLU in the performance of my duties.

A loud cheer went up in the room and, one by one, those gathered went over to congratulate Dani and offer her words of encouragement. The cupcakes were distributed and everyone made quick work of their mid-afternoon snack. Before leaving, Ashley had Dani read over and sign her contract, then gave her the on-file job description for her new position.

Following her players' departure, Dani sat on the couch and was joined by Cali and Erin on either side of her, with Marc and Steph bringing over chairs from the work table.

Dani: THAT was unexpected. How did all of this come to pass so quickly?

Marc: The two officers handed me the police reports from the weekend when I walked into the press conference. I looked through the Glendale ones for Sara's in case there might be something of note in it. After seeing that she confessed to the crime and avoided going to court by paying the requisite fine, presumably so Gavin could consider the case closed and thus could choose not to sanction her, I handed it to Jamie, who then had Don read it over. From there, the two of them discussed what to do and she brought down the axe at the start of her remarks.

Dani: You didn't go Mad Dog on the two of them, did you?

Marc: Noooooooo. In fact, I told them I couldn't provide an opinion on whether they should move you up due to having a conflict of interest, but I gave them an outside perspective of what you had done in your fifteen months here and what resources you'd have at your disposal on campus if they promoted you. My comments were more to provide support for Jamie's opinion and her desire to give you the job than pleading your case to her and Don.

Cali: So sis, does this mean I'll be one of the captains next year?

Dani: Don't have the job 15 minutes and you're already trying to hit me up for preferential treatment. Right now, Erica and Amber are my choices and I plan to meet with the two of them tomorrow morning. If one or both turn it down or state they were involved in the ring, I will look at others in the sophomore class, INCLUDING YOU.

Erin: Think you're ready?

Dani: I wouldn't have said yes if I didn't believe I could handle the position. Might be relying on my sweet babboo a little to fix the culture surrounding the team, but the rest of it should be manageable.

The other three women teased Marc over how Dani referred to him, which he took in good humor. He reminded the others about rehearsal beginning in two hours, then suggested the five of them go off-campus for dinner at the Milwaukee Ale House in Grafton to celebrate, which everyone was in favor of.


	74. Coming Clean

When Erin returned to Augsburg after rehearsal for the Christmas Eve service, she went to visit Julie Koerner, hoping she could get her interview with her out of the way that evening. Lindsay answered the door and let the peer minister in. Julie greeted Erin and asked if they could go to her room to conduct their one-on-one. Once there and inside, they each grabbed a chair and sat down.

Erin: I'm not going to drag this out any longer than it needs to be. You were arrested on Saturday night at the Four Points in Brown Deer, correct?

Julie K.: Yes.

Erin: The police report says that you were released due to lack of evidence and not charged with a crime. So tell me in your own words why you were there and how you came to be detained by Brown Deer police.

Julie K.: Coach Manning put out a call on Saturday morning looking for additional help to entertain tournament attendees following the games that evening. I contacted her and she told me what I needed to know and that I'd be on stand-by, stepping in should a need arise on-site. I went to the Four Points and checked in to one of the rooms the alumni relations program had reserved. I got changed and waited to be called upon. Just before 11:00, I heard a number of people out in the hallway, but then nothing. The door to my room was popped open and an officer came in and told me to stand against the wall while he took inventory of my surroundings. He placed a zip-tie around my wrists and tightened it, then led me out of the room, then down the hall and through the lobby to the hotel exit.

Erin: Being that you weren't charged with a crime, I won't ask about your time at the Brown Deer police station. Why did you choose to accept Coach Manning's invitation?

Julie K.: The short answer is I was bored and wanted to get off-campus for a bit. The long answer is I have been fairly lonely the past couple of weeks. I haven't been home since the start of the semester and my roommate has been on the road with the hockey team the past two weekends and three of the last four. I thought participating on Saturday night might help relieve my homesickness and depressed state.

Erin jotted down what Julie said and told her she had no more questions.

Erin: Student chaplain hat off, teammate hat on. Talk to me.

Julie K.: I'm having trouble finding my niche around here. I'm still pondering whether I want to be active in the religious community at Trinity because my experience with the LCMS back home left me with a bit of a bitter taste in my mouth. I've also shelled up a bit because I'm afraid of people here finding out about Max and then befriending me as a result of it.

Erin reached over and patted Julie on the leg. "You trust me and Steph, right?"

Julie K.: Yeah, because you've proven yourselves to be authentic in what you say and do.

Erin: I have an offer for you. I'm going to a Friendsgiving on Sunday that's being put together by a couple of professors in the School of Education. Come with me. It might help pull you out of your funk and get you past missing your family until you get to see them later in the week.

Julie K.: Will I know anyone but you there?

Erin: Yes. Steph, Cali, Cali's boyfriend Matt, Coach Dillon, Coach Hawthorne...

Julie K.: Based on who you've mentioned, I'll presume Deacon Schmidt and Matt will be there as well.

Erin: That is correct. In a roundabout way, the two of them asked me to invite you. It seems Matt told his guy friends and Marc that he liked how you looked and that you seemed to be the right balance of serious and outgoing. He then asked Marc if he could help him break the ice with you, which he then passed onto Steph and I.

Julie K.: Still unsure about that boy.

Erin: Steph, Marc, and I have made some headway with turning him into someone who we'd trust to have date one of our teammates or friends.

Julie K.: Let me think about it and get back to you. What do you plan to tell Deacon Schmidt in your report?

Erin: He has copies of the police reports, so he knows you were released without charges filed. I'll state the mitigating factors which caused your slip in judgment and recommend he go easy on you.

Julie K.: Thank you for listening to me and letting me open up about my struggles.

Julie got up and walked to the door with Erin behind her. The two hugged before the blonde-haired freshman left to return to her room.

**********

Abby and Sydney planned to meet at Luther's Landing at 9pm. The freshman was fairly apprehensive about facing on-campus sanctions after her arrest and release on Saturday night and thus delayed showing up until 9:15, hoping Abby might have chosen to leave. Once there, Abby noticed her and signaled her over to the corner table she had secured.

Abby: Have a seat, Sydney. Nervous?

Sydney: I'd be lying if I said no.

Abby: Relax. Our conversation will not be as strenuous as what I'm sure you experienced on Saturday night. I have a copy of the police report, so I'll just ask you a few questions to clarify what's in it and to give you an opportunity to rebut parts if so desired. First, fill me in on how you came to the ring and then the events of Saturday night.

Sydney: When I came to Trinity for the start of the volleyball season, I thought everything regarding financing my first year here was handled between my parents and financial aid. I went home that first weekend and found out that my dad walked out on my mom over her irrational spending. With them separated, they couldn't pay as much of my tuition as they had stated and I wasn't eligible to get more financial aid as a first-year student. I came back after the weekend and saw an email from Gavin Winchester about jobs available within the athletic department. I wrote him back and asked for more information, then was sent a response by Coach Manning with details. I was a bit turned-off by what I'd have to do, but then realized I didn't have a lot of options for making up the portion of my school expenses left unpaid. I signed on and was sent on my first call a week or two later. I worked when my volleyball schedule allowed, meaning every Friday night and those Saturdays when we had a home match. I was moved from La Quinta to the Four Points for Saturday night because four of our contingent were arrested there on Friday night. I got to the hotel around 7:30 and got my room keys from the front desk. After changing into my work clothes, I waited for my first guest of the evening to arrive, which happened just after 8:45. I gave him the standard package and he was out the door by 9:30. At 10:00, my second appointment showed up and I handled the two of them within a half hour, allowing me to do a third appointment right after that. My client and I had just re-connected after switching positions when the door was rammed open and two cops came inside. One blocked the door while the other directed us to get dressed, then cuffed us and led us out of the hotel. I was booked at the Brown Deer police station and released on my own recognizance, with a court date set for my case to be tried.

Abby: You pretty much answered my next question, which was why you had participated. Do you have anything to say in your defense or that you wish to have recorded in the transcript I send to Deacon Schmidt?

Sydney: No. I did what I did and now have to face the music because I got caught. How soon will I hear what my punishment will be?

Abby: Deacon Schmidt wants to have the interviews with those arrested completed by tomorrow night, which means he is probably looking to hand out sanctions later this week after he has had a chance to read the transcripts and allow the student-athletes' coaches to weigh in.

Sydney nodded at Abby, then got up and left Albrecht to return to her room in Tietjen with Abby going back to Katharine.

**********

Early on Tuesday morning, Dani met with Erica and Amber as the first step in moving the women's soccer program past the scandal which had engulfed it and the athletic department as a whole.

Dani: Ladies, the reason I wanted to meet with the two of you before I talked to any of the other players is because I plan to name you as captains for next season and would like your help in winning over the rest of the squad to the changes which I will eventually implement.

Erica: Speaking for myself, I think you have most of the players on your side already, so swaying them to follow you shouldn't be that difficult. How many of our players were caught?

Dani: Three, and I'm sure you can guess who they are.

Amber: Yep. What is going to happen to them?

Dani: Deacon Schmidt is handling their cases personally and I'll be allowed to offer input on their sanctions after he has met with them. I can tell you they won't be returning to the team, as he will probably dismiss them from the program, and if he doesn't, I will. Beyond that remains to be seen. He says that there are others from the team involved in the ring as well, but either avoided arrest or stayed away from where the sting took place and that we will probably lose seven or eight players from the 2020 team by the end of this, between dismissals, suspensions, de-commits, and transfers.

Erica: Ouch!

Dani: Yes, Ouch! It's probably going to be two weeks or more before I'll have a better picture of where we stand heading into Spring practice. I'm hoping no one will choose to leave, that they'll stick it out with us, which is where the two of you will have the greatest impact between now and the end of the semester.

Amber: We'll be here, and I know the front line will all stay put since they'd been solidly against what Carli, Allie, and Dionne were doing.

Dani: I'm well-aware of that, as Lexi was the one to blow the whistle on what alumni relations had planned for last Friday and Saturday.

Amber nodded because she and Emily had been warned by her to stay away from the target areas. She also knew that she needed to self-disclose her involvement if she wanted to avoid significant penalties from Deacon Schmidt or Coach Dillon.

Dani: I need the two of you to do a couple of things over the next two or three days. First, if you know anyone else who was involved in the ring, get them to self-disclose to one of the five members of the chaplain's office who are handling the initial questioning of those arrested or implicated, the chaplain himself, or Coach Krueger, the acting athletic director, by tomorrow at 9am. Once the deadline passes, I want you to drop the dime on who you know were part of this in some capacity, because I would like to get all of this behind us and head into semester break knowing what we'll be facing when we return to campus in January and therefore what we will need to do between then and March 1st.

Erica: Coach, I couldn't be more pleased that Coach Krueger moved ahead so quickly and offered you the head coaching job. Do you have any idea who is going to replace you as assistant coach?

Dani: No, and I'm going to take my time in determining that, as there is no rush to come to a decision. Might not be until after the United Soccer Coaches convention in Baltimore before I choose someone.

Erica: Anyone you think we should contact immediately about what is happening?

Dani: Touch base with Cali, as she's the lone member of the soccer team who is part of the Peer Ministry Alliance and her roommate and their next door neighbors are three of the five peers interviewing the suspects.

Amber banked away her coach's comment and decided that it would behoove her to self-disclose to Erin as she was both Cali's roommate and close to Deacon Schmidt. Erica told Dani that she'd try to see Cali before lunch if possible and would begin working to get the other players to commit to staying at Trinity. Amber mentioned to the two of them she was planning to work on getting other athletes to come forward both with their own confessions as well as additional information about the ring. The pair of student-athletes left the athletic department office and went to their 9:30 classes, with Dani going through Sara's files to read up on what she had been working upon for next season prior to her dismissal.

**********

Marc had an eventful morning on this second day of the self-disclosure window. He met with two members of the field hockey team and a cross-country runner, went to the athletic department to pick up copies of transcripts for those arrested and an unredacted version of the non-disclosure agreement between Trinity Lutheran University and Lauren Heberlein, and received a large file of payroll records from the TLU Business Office. After returning to campus from lunch at Subway, Marc contacted Sean Forbes, Chief Financial Officer at Trinity.

Marc: Sean, it's Marc Schmidt.

Sean: Marc! Long time no talk. What's up?

Marc: The business office sent me payroll records from FY 2019 and the first quarter of FY 2020 for student employees of the athletic department's alumni relations program, which was used to run a prostitution ring. Can you give me a quick summary of how the money moves through the pipeline and at which point, if anywhere, someone might have been able to stall it out and alert President Garrett or yourself as to the large amounts of income and outgo related to the program?

Sean: In this case, time sheets would be turned into the department secretary, who would then have had Gavin sign off on them. From there, they would be sent to the business office for processing and the pay placed in the students' university accounts. As for the ledger work, that is handled by another part of the business office and their primary focus is whether a department is running a deficit over a series of months. None of our staff accountants have experience in forensic accounting, so I would guess none of them would have noticed if something was amiss. Now, were one of them to have gotten the athletic department's balance sheet to me, I would have been able to sniff out if there was wrongdoing, because the evidence would look similar to that of insurance fraud.

Marc: Which you had to deal with as an actuary. If I send you a copy of the ELCA's audit on the department, could you give it a once-over and point out any clear-cut signs of financial mismanagement?

Sean: Sure. When do you need a response by?

Marc: Say 10am tomorrow, because I'll be off-campus after worship and I'd like to be able to pass along any evidence to Jamie and Don before I leave.

Sean: I should be able to send you something by the end of the day.

Marc: Thanks, Sean.

Marc ended his call with Sean and started to look over the documents he had procured from Kara and Casey earlier in the day.

**********

Erin and Cali were studying in their room when there was a knock at the door. Erin answered it and saw Amber standing on the other side. Cali noticed her teammate come in and, deducing the purpose of her visit, grabbed her backpack, then told Erin she would be in Lexi and Jordan's room while Amber and her talked. Once Cali was gone and the door closed, Amber opened the conversation.

Amber: Coach Dillon told me that you were one of the people handling the initial interviews of those arrested over the weekend. She also said that anyone who wanted to self-disclose past or current participation in the ring could see you as well.

Erin: That is correct. I take it you're here to do that.

Amber: Yes. I participated in the alumni relations program for about a year, ending my association with it at the end of September.

Erin: How did you get involved?

Amber: Word of mouth on the team. Carli Lowe told several of us about this quick-and-easy way to make money while at school. Being seven hours from home, I don't have the luxury of going back on a regular basis to do laundry, get my parents to take me shopping, or other money-saving endeavors. Luther's Promise only covers about 60% of my tuition, room, and board, and though I get a bit of a discount because my mom works at an ELCA college, I'm still responsible for about $2,500 a year plus living expenses.

Erin: I get your dilemma. I'm from the Grand Rapids area, about five hours from here. It's close enough that I can go back for all the breaks without it feeling like a waste of time, but too far for a weekend trip. I'm lucky that I had in-town support my first year so I could spread out what I had budgeted for incidentals and am now getting an additional $2600 a semester from my late godmother's educational insurance policy with Thrivent.

Amber: The chaplain's wife, right?

Erin: Yes. Who I refer to now as the first Danielle.

Amber nodded. "Being that he and Coach are a thing, even if they won't say so."

Erin: Right. Anything else you want to mention?

Amber: I really regret allowing myself to get wrapped up in Coach Manning's web. I quit because I saw what our late-night activities were doing to the team and felt like she was abusing us a bit. I know things are going to change with Coach Dillon in charge and I look forward to what comes to pass. She said that the three who got arrested would be bounced from the women's soccer program by either Deacon Schmidt or her. I'm hoping that telling you about this will allow me to avoid that fate.

Erin wrote down everything Amber said and told her that it would be sent to the chaplain tout suite.

Amber thanked Erin for listening to her and possibly saving her neck with Deacon Schmidt and Coach Dillon. She then left and went to Lexi and Jordan's room, where she filled the two of them and Cali in on what Erica, Dani, and her talked about earlier. Back up the hall, Steph Lafleur was meeting with Nicole Elias from the women's basketball team.

Steph: Your name had been thrown around earlier this year as someone who was involved in the ring, so you being picked up over the weekend isn't much of a surprise. Fill me in on your history with the alumni relations program and what happened on Saturday night.

Nicole: Gavin recruited me to the program right after he transferred here from Carthage last July. Most nights out-of-season, I'd take three or four appointments. In-season, it'd be two because we always played on Saturdays. This past one, Kelsey Prescott and I had been assigned to the Holiday Inn to handle some multi-client requests, with Coach Manning and two of her players next door to us. The three men in the room with us had just swapped partners when the door was kicked in. Neither Kelsey nor I reacted, but the three men did and quickly scrambled to get their clothes back on. All five of us were cuffed and led outside to the police wagon.

Steph: I see that you have a court date pending. Are you planning to fight the charge?

Nicole: No. Taking a date allowed me to be released on my own recognizance and postpone paying the fine until then.

Steph wondered what she could ask Nicole that might help her when she would face Marc.

Steph: Any regrets?

Nicole: Not really. I was planning to hang it up after finals as I would have one semester left and enough cash socked away to get me through it.

Steph noted her comment and said the transcript would be on its way to Deacon Schmidt by the end of the night. Nicole stood up and left Steph and Alyssa's room, then went down the stairs and walked through the tunnel system to Wartburg Hall, where she lived.

**********

Sarah was celebrating her birthday with Michelle and Dani at Jose's Blue Sombrero in Fox Point. After each of them had gotten a margarita or two in them, the conversation loosened up quite a bit.

Sarah: Any suggestions on how to get Wil hot-and-bothered so he will attack me? We went back to his place after going out to dinner last night and things just didn't really progress beyond standard boot-knocking. He's good at what he does and he's attentive, but I want more than in-out-in-out-spurt-and-go-to-sleep.

Dani: A lot of it is trial-and-error and requires you to be willing to expand your horizons some. What have you tried so far to get a rise out of him?

Sarah: Being aggressive, lots of foreplay, a bit of eye candy, which looks really odd on me because of my dimensions. None of those have seemed to do the trick.

Michelle: I could use a little advice here, too, Deuce. Dawson has invited me to go to a ski resort with him for a few days after Christmas and I want to be able to entice him into going all the way.

Dani wondered how much of her sex life with Marc she should disclose to her two friends. Knowing they probably needed a good bit of assistance to get past their insecurities in the bedroom, she opened up a fair bit about how she has been able to ignite her partner's passion for her.

Dani: I've told Cali some of this, but you two are in better position to actually use the information I'm going to pass along. Marc and I have a VERY good sex life and a lot of it comes from my ability to play to his likes, fantasies, and the love he already possesses for me. Sometimes, I go commando underneath a dress or skirt, which gets me aroused and in turn turns him on. It's led to some hot sex on several occasions. I also have built up a sizable cache of frilly underthings that I can either wear under my street clothes or change into after a date. He LOVES doing it with me when I dress up for him and it makes me feel SO DAMN SEXY! Sarah, you said you've tried to play the eye candy card, but you don't feel comfortable in it.

Sarah: Right. Were I your size and my height, I'd look better in some of those get-ups, but I'm all legs and no upper body and am not like you when it comes to wearing stilts on my feet.

Dani: Play to the advantages you have. There is a lot more cute stuff for someone with your upper torso than there is for someone with mine. You might not be able to wear some of the stuff the standard woman would, but there are combinations of items that would look great on you and therefore increase your confidence when it comes to getting Wil to lust after you.

Michelle: I'm not even at the point where I know where to start. We haven't done much more than kiss and a bit of over-the-clothes touching of sensitive places.

Dani got a devilish idea, but didn't know if Marc would be up for it. She excused herself to use the ladies' room, then texted her partner.

DaniPDillon: At dinner with Sarah and Michelle. Both asking for help with increasing physical interaction with their men. Up for joining with me in providing them a primer?

She stayed in her stall until Marc had responded.

DeaconSchmidt: You and me doing a romantic sex video? Think I could be coaxed into that. Ask Sarah about GAA banquet on Friday. Maybe we go to that and do the instructional video afterwards?

Dani wrote him back and said that was an excellent idea. "I'll have a couple hours or more to turn you on, then we'll have all night to take care of the sexual tension created."

Dani came back out to the table and sat down.

Dani: Sorry I was so long. I had to check with somebody about the idea I came up with to help the two of you. Sarah, what can you tell me about Friday night's banquet at Trinity?

Sarah: It's a fundraiser for the Gay Athletes Association. I'm apparently getting an award as the athletic department's greatest ally to the LGBTQ community. Thinking of going?

Dani: Yes, and I'm having Marc come as well.

Michelle: So what's the idea?

Dani: I feel like you two need some visual evidence of how to make your men come after you, so I asked Marc if he'd be up for doing an instructional video.

Sarah: A sex tape?! And how does the banquet play into it?

Dani: Not exactly. It'll be more of a romantic primer, focusing on bringing the heart connection you have with Wil and Dawson to the surface so it translates into a stronger physical connection. As for the banquet, it will give the two of us a couple of hours to do some visual foreplay with each other and stoke the fire for when we get back to his place.

Michelle: So you are going to record you and Marc having at it?

Dani: It's not going to be as pornographic as your standard XXX movie. Sure, you'll see the body parts and everything, but the tone will be a lot more intimate. The two of us will be at his place tomorrow evening for the Olympic qualifying semifinals, so we'll plan out some of it and then let nature take its course on Friday night. The two of you have seen me naked more times than you can probably count, so don't be getting all embarrassed about the possibility of watching me and Marc make love. Michelle, what you wore for our Sweetest Day dinner would have been a great palette upon which to draw out Dawson's inner horndog with some enticing undergarments.

Michelle blushed at Dani's suggestion. "See, I would NEVER think of doing that!"

Dani: You want I should do a before video with some of my outfits and accessories and show you ways to match them up to turn your men inside-out?

Sarah: Actually, I'm thinking I'll follow you and Michelle back to your house and you can do it live for us, if you're comfortable with that.

Dani: Like I said, you've seen me in my birthday suit plenty of times. I'm game so long as you'll be comfortable watching me.

When they finished dinner, the three women left Jose's for Dani and Michelle's place, where the former showed them some of the outfits and undergarments she had worn together in the past which had led to her and Marc getting hot-and-heavy in bed, on the desk, on the floor, on the couch, in his chair, etc.


	75. Fire Away!

Wednesday kicked off the adjudication process for the 26 student-athletes who either self-disclosed their involvement in the alumni relations program or were arrested on Friday or Saturday night. It also commenced Marc's investigation into the breadth of the ring and bringing other participants to justice. Sean Forbes' read-through of the athletic department's balance sheet turned up a BIG mistake by Gavin, namely putting money directly into the capital improvements budget line rather than submitting it to the business office, who would then separate out funds for student payroll and donations directed for certain sports, which would be handled by the Trinity Foundation, before crediting the remainder to the capital improvements fund. Additionally, Brian Hogan, Carli Lowe's boyfriend and second-year student at Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, had been paid by the university for work done in the early part of August, around the time of Churchwide Assembly. Armed with these two solid pieces of evidence against Gavin, Marc put that material aside for an early-morning meeting tomorrow with Don and Jamie and prepared for Dionne Powell's visit to his office for her meeting with the chaplain. Right on 9:00, Dionne walked through Marc's door and took a seat in front of his desk.

Marc: Glad you were prompt this morning, as I will be able to conduct my hearing and pass on sanctions fairly quickly. I will go through the events of Friday and Saturday night as they are laid out in the police reports and have you comment on them and fill in any blanks that exist.

Dionne: Go ahead.

Marc: You were arrested both Friday and Saturday nights at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel in Brown Deer for prostitution. On the first night, you were found with a man and a woman in your room, while the second one had four men in the room with you. You paid your fine on Friday night and thus avoided going to court. On Saturday night, a Spencer Scoggins paid your fine. Can you tell me about your relationship to him?

Dionne: He was a client of mine on Friday night. On Saturday night, we hooked up before I started work at the hotel. No money officially changed hands that evening.

Marc: Can you inform me as to how you came to the attention of the leaders of the alumni relations program?

Dionne: Following the first day of preseason practice, Coach Manning and Carli Lowe asked me to stay behind. Once the rest of the team had left Niemoller Field, the three of us took seats over by the bench area. They informed me that my looks sparked their interest and wondered if I had any desire to use them to make some money and help the athletic department. I asked for more information and they specified what I would actually be doing. I asked them to give me a couple of days to think about it and I'd let them know by the end of the week.

Marc: When did you start?

Dionne: The following weekend. After my first couple of appointments that first night, they assigned me to a threesome with one man and two women. On future nights, I'd be given multiple clients of varying number and sexes along with some high-value one-on-ones.

Marc: Based on the police reports and your statements here now, you admit your part in the prostitution ring, correct?

Dionne: Yes.

Marc: Before I pass judgment, I will offer you a chance to present mitigating factors that I should take into account when meting out your sanctions.

Dionne took a deep breath and began her "defense".

Dionne: After my arrest on Friday night, I was technically "off" on Saturday night, per orders of Coach Manning. That afternoon, I trolled Buuck in search of some possible clients and ran into one of the previous night's visitors. We talked and I invited him to come see me if he got back to the Four Points relatively early. That was the hook-up, because in the end I couldn't accept his payment for what ended up being a personal desire to be intimate with him. After he left, I thought about what had happened and came to the conclusion that I was going to take a break after that night to see where if anywhere things with Spencer might go, as I wasn't interested in continuing my activities if he and I decided to pursue a long-distance relationship.

Marc: Very nice words. Problem is that it seems convenient for you to say you had an epiphany to give up the game just before you were arrested for the second time in two nights. I will corroborate your story with this Spencer and modify my decision if need be, but as of now I rule that you're to be dismissed from the women's soccer program and from Trinity Lutheran University as a whole.

Dionne: So I'm being thrown out of school?!?!

Marc: You may not believe this, but academic dismissal is actually a lighter sentence than academic suspension. Being dismissed means that you will be dropped from your courses and thus will not receive grades for them. A suspension has the effect of leaving it up to your professors how they want to handle your ceasing to attend classes, with three or four options available to them, ranging from giving you incompletes to giving you the grade you have in the course at the present time to giving you zeroes for your remaining assignments and exams in the course and a grade based on the totality of your semester. You may have issues down the road dealing with Satisfactory Academic Progress and the ability to receive financial aid, but you will not have the millstone of a 0.00 GPA for this semester hanging around your neck when you would resume classes next Fall. I will send my decision to Coach Dillon, Coach Krueger, and the provost and contact your residence hall director so the two of you can discuss when you will be moving out. You are going back to Square One, and I hope you take your second chance at matriculation more seriously than you seem to have taken your first.

Dionne stayed in her chair for a couple of minutes letting the weight of Deacon Schmidt's sanctions wash over her. She then departed his office and returned to Wartburg. A few minutes later, Tori Abrams stopped in to see Marc.

Tori: The Trinity Times has asked me to follow up with you and other administrators as to the progress of your investigation and decisions made thus far, which will be printed along with my interview with Lexi Millen in Monday's edition. After the arrests and self-disclosures, how many Trinity student-athletes are known to have been involved in the prostitution ring?

Marc: 26 women, and almost every team at Trinity has been touched by this scandal. Sanctions for those implicated will be doled out over the course of the following ten days or so, as transcripts of Monday and Tuesday's interviews are read, hearings are conducted, and the student-athletes' coaches offer their input on discipline.

Tori: Any additional information come forth over the last two days related to the scope of the ring and the number of individuals involved?

Marc: Other offices on campus have sent me documents that could be damaging for certain individuals at Trinity. As I haven't completed my reading of them, I choose not to comment on the matter at this time.

Tori: That's all the questions I have at the moment. Thank you for your time, Deacon Schmidt.

Marc: Before you leave, can I ask you something related to your video set-up?

Tori: Sure.

Marc: How do you do your YouTube videos when you don't have a cameraperson available?

Tori: I use the camera function on my laptop most of the time. I also have the ability to place mini cameras in certain places in my room so I can record an interview without needing to set up equipment. Why do you ask?

Marc: The funny women on your floor are coming over on Saturday with my nephew to rehearse their routine for that night's Joke-Off in Wittenberg. I want to be able to record it so they can see their performance and make adjustments before the show, but not have it be obvious that they're being filmed. Can you drop by my place around mid-afternoon with some of your equipment and show me what I'd need and how to install it? I'm going to be having a small get-together this evening for the CONCACAF women's Olympic qualifying semifinals, so maybe sucker Cam and Lexi to come with you. It's BYO for the most part since I won't have a lot of time to make stuff after I get back from campus.

Tori: I can do that. Text me your address so I can put it into my GPS. What time are you thinking?

Marc: First game is 5:00 and I'll hopefully get home by 2:30 at the latest. 3:30 too early?

Tori: A little. 4:00?

Marc: Sounds good. See you then.

Tori left the chaplain's office, with Marc leaving himself for Bonhoeffer shortly thereafter.

**********

A somber tone rested over those gathered at worship this afternoon. Bishop Emerson made the trip to Trinity from the synod offices, as did several sets of parents associated with the women's soccer team. Tori and Cam were sitting with Lexi and Jordan, while Alyssa, Erin, Dani, Steph, and Cali were together as Christen and Brad were serving as Marc's Communion assistants today. Jamie and Don slipped in about five minutes into the service and took seats near the back of the sanctuary. Following Brad's reading of the day's lessons, the chaplain walked to the lectern and began his homily.

Marc: Monday morning, this campus became embroiled in a scandal of the highest order. Some people in the community have called for Trinity Lutheran University to be shut down for the perceived role administrators had in the creation of a prostitution ring from within the athletic department. I'm not going to address those comments today. My homily instead deals with the real human damage of the sex-for-money game. In most cases, women enter the trade to relieve a need they have, be it financial or emotional. It's also a major reason why women choose to be promiscuous. In the interview transcripts I have read so far and the one hearing I have held, this yearning for inner peace has been either the main reason or a secondary reason for getting involved in this undercover world. Somewhere in their histories, these beloved daughters of our Creator were told they were "less than" others and thus sought out a way to prove to themselves they were of value, abusing their bodies to gain that confirmation. I've talked all semester about forgiveness, redemption, and second chances. This is a time where those concepts need to be at the fore of how we approach this subject and those who were participants in these most damaging of acts. When Student Government and the Board of Trustees made changes to the Student Code of Conduct last Fall, the standard for discipline set forth in the document was based on the ethic of responsible sexuality, that all participants in a relationship, be it long-term or one-night, have the requisite knowledge to make informed decisions to protect themselves from abuse. It is from this stance that I will be handling the judicial process for these women, erring on the side of compassion but still holding them responsible for their conduct. I am hopeful that repairing our school's good name and these individuals' lives can be done over the next couple of weeks and that those responsible for the ring's creation, direction, and management will be found and brought to institutional justice. Amen.

**********

Jamie mediated the discussion during Lunch Bunch as the women's soccer players' parents had plenty of questions for her and Dani about the future of the program and their daughters' place within it.

Steve Farmer: I know this question is going to be a bit awkward for Coach Dillon to answer, since it relates to her cousin. What is your plan for restocking the program for the 2020 season and should Cali be worried about having a place within it?

Dani: Cali has no reason to worry about having to fight for a spot on the roster. Playing time, of course, will be determined by what happens in training and the players' effort and skill. As for adding players, I will begin that process once I know how many openings exist and how many players I can have on the roster.

Anne Turco: Maria was moved about a LOT by Coach Manning this past season, which I guess is understandable for a first-year player. Will she have a more consistent place on the field next year?

Dani: I'd like to say yes, that I plan to deploy her as a 9 or a deep-lying playmaker or out on the wing, but the shakedown from the scandal means I don't yet know how many of our current players will be returning clear of sanctions or will end up being dismissed or transferring. Maria is so versatile and is such a marking problem for our opponents that she might still end up playing several positions over the course of the season, although I'd like to limit it to one or two spots within a given game.

Alvin Hutton: Gavin has been saying that women's soccer would begin play as a Division I program in 2021. With the possibility of losing several players and the public fallout of the scandal drying up outside sources of capital, is that plan still realistic?

Jamie: When I met with President Garrett and Deacon Schmidt on Monday afternoon, that was the first subject we discussed, as it would affect the direction our coaching search would take. The move to Division I is off-the-board for the foreseeable future, and I don't anticipate it being taken up again.

Rose Simon: Coach Dillon, with one of your team's three African-American players having been part of the ring, will you shy away from recruiting players of color and what are their chances of playing time under your command?

Dani: As I told Mr. Farmer, playing time will be determined by what happens in practice and the players' effort and skill. Taylor is penciled in at the moment to be my starting right back, because we WILL be playing four at the back.

A small round of applause went up at the table.

Dani: As for recruiting players of color, I am committed to having our team look like the student body of which it is a part and will be actively seeking out student-athletes from the north half of Milwaukee County.

Mike Millen: Deacon Schmidt, will you be seeking to sanction student-athletes who had been part of the ring but were not active at the time of its demise?

Marc: As I said in the pulpit a little while ago, I will act with compassion and take into account mitigating factors in passing along any penalties. Having been on this trail for the better part of fourteen months, I know a fair number who were rumored to have participated and will not seek to impose double jeopardy on those who had been before me in the past.

Steph Lafleur: Jamie, will you seek to penalize any of the women's teams as a whole or just the individuals who were involved?

Jamie: I am meeting with President Garrett and Deacon Schmidt tomorrow morning to go over which teams had the largest number of athletes involved, then will be meeting with the head coaches to find out if they were aware of their players' participation. I will make a determination as to penalties for specific programs after that.

Marc gave his farewells to everyone before leaving Siebert and heading home for the day. Jamie and Dani wrapped up their discussion with those gathered and moved onto what each had planned for the rest of the afternoon.


	76. Taking Stock

Marc got home a little before 2:30 and checked on the two crock pots of appetizers he started before leaving for campus, adding a bit more barbecue sauce to the one with cocktail wieners and giving the one with mini-meatballs a good stir. He waited in the living room for Dani to arrive, after which he went upstairs to change into his Matheson 8 Canadian National Team jersey. With 75 minutes or so before Tori was scheduled to be there, the couple laid against one another on the couch and talked about what the near future entailed.

Marc: We haven't had a chance to talk since Friday evening, and there are a few things we should discuss. First, how will your promotion affect your schedule at the institute?

Dani: For the time being, I can handle both jobs simultaneously. When Spring semester starts, I'll have to probably do a 25-15-10 schedule, where I'm putting in some time at home in addition to my on-campus hours, until practice starts on March 1st. Between now and then, we'll have to have a deeper conversation about this.

Marc: You know I will support however you want to deal with it and won't force you into a decision.

Dani: I know, my love. You brought up your initial ideas for the holidays when we were out with Sarah and Wil. Given any more thought to that?

Marc: Yeah. We're leaving for Chicago on the 27th to fly the next day to Vancouver. Working backwards, that would mean being in Milwaukee for the day or the two before it. I plan to propose to Laurie that we do the Schmidt/Cochran Christmas on the 22nd, so we can return the 23rd and spend Christmas Eve by ourselves. Haven't thought yet about what I want to do that day, but it's a tradition I want to start, having a time that is just us. Thinking we go up on the 20th and have the 21st to go to the Mall of America to wrap up any shopping not yet done. Doing the schedule like this will allow you to spend Christmas Day with your family.

Dani: AND YOU! Angela is hosting this year, so I'll talk to her about having you join us.

Marc: Next thing up is your team's run-in with my office. Three players were arrested and two others self-disclosed yesterday. I've met with one so far, Dionne Powell, and have Carli and Allie coming in on Friday. As for Amber Bryant and Emily Bowman, I'm planning to make my decision based on the interviews Erin and Alyssa did with them. I said I'd let you weigh in on sanctions, so here's your chance to chime in.

Dani: The three that got picked up, they should be dropped from the program. Amber and Emily, what can you tell me about their confessions?

Marc: Amber said she had left the ring at the end of September and provided Erin with some mitigating factors that played into her joining it and then why she left. I don't see any reason to recommend academic penalties and feel that you should determine how she should be disciplined. As for Emily, she was at the Baymont on Friday night, but remained on campus Saturday night. Again, the self-disclosure allows her to avoid academic sanctions, but I plan to bar her from obtaining a parking permit for Spring semester.

Dani: For Amber, I think I will give her a three-game suspension, which covers the first week of games, and strip her of the provisional captaincy I mentioned in my meeting with her and Erica yesterday. Emily, in my opinion, should get a stiffer penalty. Can I have her placed on campus restriction for the 2020 season to coincide with a road ban?

Marc: You can do that if you wish. It's pretty heavy and, combined with my sentence, might be too much. You always have the authority to determine if she plays certain matches, so maybe back off the road ban but bench her for several of the games.

Dani: What did you give Dionne?

Marc: Academic dismissal along with dismissal from your program.

Dani: Whoa! That is HARSH! What are you planning to give Allie and Carli if you've already given out the toughest punishment available to Dionne?

Marc: Both of them will be academically suspended for the remainder of this semester and for Spring as well along with being dismissed from your team. Suspension is actually a stiffer penalty than dismissal, because they will still get grades for Fall and could end up with all F's depending on how their professors handle the three weeks of missed classes and not taking their finals.

Dani: We should talk about Friday night. How do you want to set things up?

Marc: I have Tori Abrams coming over at 4 to help me get the bedroom situated with recording equipment. Got any preferences for what I should wear?

Dani: Something that I will want to take my sweet time in getting off you. Button-down and boxers are the only two pieces I care about, really. The rest of your outfit doesn't really affect our foreplay or lovemaking. I ordered a new dress and accessories last night after Sarah left our place, and I am sure you will be FLOORED by it.

Marc leaned down and kissed his partner tenderly and teasingly. As Dani rolled over to deepen their lip lock, the doorbell rang. Marc got up and answered it, then welcomed Tori, Cam, Lexi, and Jordan in. Tori and Cam followed Marc upstairs to the master bedroom while Dani entertained her two players.

Marc: Where can we put a camera to get maximum coverage?

Tori: I'd say the corner furthest from the door, as you should be able to pick up most if not all of the room. Where will the comedians be staging in here?

Marc: Either the area between the dresser and bed or the space between the door and the back wall.

Tori: Both spots are good places for the camera to be aimed from that corner position. Can Cam and I test it out and see how it goes?

Marc: Sure.

Tori placed one of her mini-cameras into the northwest corner, where the north wall, west wall, and ceiling met, then secured it into place. She had Cam stand in both spots where Marc had said the rehearsal might be done from and let the camera record him for 10-20 seconds. After that, she pulled the SD card from the camera and placed it into her laptop's card reader to see what had been picked up.

Tori: Looks like that's going to be the right place to have it. I'll leave it with you. You'll need your own SD card to save the recording and then view it, but those are relatively inexpensive at any big box store.

Marc: Thanks. Get it back to you on Monday?

Tori: That'll be fine.

With that completed, the Abrams siblings and Marc returned to the living room, where Dani, Lexi, and Jordan had been joined by Cali, Erin, and Steph. Katelyn and Abby showed up at quarter to 5, while Lauren and Kelley arrived as the anthems were playing.

**********

Following Game 1, in which Canada defeated Costa Rica, 2-1, in extra time on a 104th minute goal by Becca Quinn, the house received another throng of visitors, with Alyssa, Lindsay, and Julie Koerner coming over after hockey practice and Lindsey and Emily dropping in with Christen and Julie. In the tunnel leading out to the pitch at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, US captain Becky Sauerbrunn and Mexico skipper Stephany Mayor stood at the front of their teams' lines, with the officiating crew headed by Jamaica's Cardella Samuels between them. At the start of the FIFA Fair Play anthem, the first XIs were led out to the center of the field by Samuels and her team.

Both teams were aggressive from the opening whistle, causing Samuels to chastised several players for excessive contact and unsporting behavior. Mexico's plan to grind out a war of attrition with their neighbors to the north was destroyed after eleven minutes as their back line was breached on a threaded ball from Lindsey Horan to Christen Press that left the Chicago Red Star with no one between her and goalkeeper Bianca Henninger. As defender Alina Garciamendez chased Press, she stumbled into her at the top of the penalty area. After blowing her whistle, Samuels conferred with assistant referee Princess Brown, then went over to the VAR (Video Assistant Referee) monitor to check where the foul had actually occurred. During the delay, those watching the match speculated on the eventual ruling.

Steph: For Garciamendez's sake, I hope she rules the foul happened in the box as opposed to outside.

Alyssa: Definitely. Having to play short-handed for almost eighty minutes, plus an additional thirty if the game goes to extra time, will NOT be a fun ride for El Tri Femenil.

Tori: Coach Dillon, why does it matter where the foul occurred?

Dani: I think I better let Deacon Schmidt explain the triple punishment rule.

Marc: In the past, if a player committed a foul for denial of a goal-scoring opportunity, or DOGSO, he or she would be sent off and suspended for the next match regardless of where on the field it happened. In 2016, FIFA revised the rule to separate DOGSOs that occur inside the penalty area from those outside, as the awarding of a penalty kick in addition to the red card and suspension, also called a triple punishment, was deemed too big an advantage granted to the offended side. Now, if a DOGSO occurs in the penalty area, the offending player is given a yellow card and the aggrieved team a penalty kick. If it happens outside, it's a straight red and a direct free kick.

Tori: So the US will either go up a man or get a PK as a result of the foul, correct?

Marc: Yes.

Samuels walked away from the monitor and back onto the field. After signaling the use of VAR, she walks toward the spot of the foul and blew her whistle, with no other hand action. She then went toward Garciamendez and displayed the red card, disqualifying her from the match. The resulting free kick by Megan Rapinoe went over the crossbar, giving Mexico a goal kick. Up a player, US head coach Laura Harvey moved Julie Johnston into the midfield to partner with Sam Mewis and went to a 3-4-3 formation. The change paid immediate dividends as Alex Morgan and Press exploited the gap left by Garciamendez's dismissal to score three goals in the span of fourteen minutes and stake the US to a lead it would not lose, ultimately winning 5-1.

After their guests had left, Marc and Dani cleaned up the living room, dining room, and kitchen, then sat down on the couch.

Marc: I forget how exhausting having people over can be, and we've got Friendsgiving on Sunday plus I promised Erin and Matt I'd help them and the Minnesotans with their routine for Saturday night's Joke-Off. Then there's all the work I need to do on the athletic department scandal, Friday night's banquet and tutorial back here afterwards. Trying to figure out when I'll get a spot of relief before I leave for Minnesota next Wednesday.

Dani: It might not happen given what was thrown into your lap last weekend, but I'll help you manage as best I can. I texted Angela while you were upstairs with Tori and Cam about Christmas. She says you are totally invited, because she wants to see the two of us together for more than a few minutes at a time and feels the visual evidence will convince the elders to accept you as my man.

Marc: How do you and Cali plan to get through Thanksgiving with them?

Dani: I for one won't put up with the two of them attacking you or me. Cali's going to be a little different because I don't think she and Aunt Judy have had any real discussions about Matt and her. That, and she doesn't have as much of a platform from which to stand up to her as I do with my mom. By the way, babe, would it be alright if I stayed over tonight?

Marc: Of course it's alright. I love sleeping next to you, waking up and seeing your smiling face or mountain of hair greet me, and the great conversations we're able to have before we both fall asleep. Did you bring anything with you, or will you need some of my clothes to sleep in?

Dani: I stopped home and grabbed my overnight bag, just in case things ran late and I didn't want to drive back. I'll go out and get it, then we can head upstairs.

Dani left briefly to get her bag from her car, then came back in and went upstairs to change while Marc secured the downstairs and turned out the lights. Once both were in his bedroom, he showed her where the camera for Friday night was set up, which led into a discussion of how they wanted to play out things when they returned from the banquet. Following that, Dani turned out the light and the two spooned with Marc's arms wrapped securely around her as sleep overtook them.


	77. Taking Care Of Business

Judgment Thursday, during which Deacon Schmidt hoped to have all the interview transcripts from Monday and Tuesday read and decisions made as to sanctions or additional hearings, began with a meeting in President Garrett's office.

Don Garrett: Marc, have you made any headway on the students' cases or investigating the administrative side of the alumni relations program?

Marc: I was able to bring one case to a close yesterday and should be able to close several more today. There are two hearings scheduled for tomorrow with others to be held next week should they be necessary. After getting payroll records, Gavin's non-disclosure agreement with Lauren Heberlein, and having Sean Forbes give the athletic department's balance sheet a once-over, I found sufficient evidence of wrongdoing, specifically:

* A former student-athlete paid for work done during the time surrounding the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in August;

* A direct deposit of donations by the athletic department to its Capital Improvements Fund, bypassing TLU Business Services;

* A significant level of donations made at a time when school was not in session; and

* Creating a severance package for Coach Heberlein that was significantly higher than other coaches in Division III would receive and a non-disclosure agreement that buries all evidence of wrongdoing by either side by forbidding any discussion or acknowledgment of practically anything she did while at Trinity.

Marc handed to both President Garrett and acting AD Jamie Krueger copies of the documents he referenced, then gave them a couple of minutes to read them over.

Don: The evidence here is too damning for me not to dismiss Gavin for financial malfeasance and running a criminal enterprise from within the athletic department. Jamie, you will be interim athletic director through the end of the academic year, with us hopefully replacing you as associate athletic director by the end of the semester.

Marc: Straight sacking, Don, or will you give Gavin a chance to step away on his own?

Don: A straight sacking means buying him out of his contract, even though it would be for cause. Allowing him to resign would probably allow him to avoid the public embarrassment of having me disclose the reasons for his dismissal.

Jamie: What about pushing the NCAA for a show-cause order to theoretically keep him out of college athletics for a certain period of time? The NACC applied for one against Coach Heberlein after her departure and got 18 months. If we go for one against Sara, we should seek 5 years. Same for Gavin.

Don: So they wouldn't be able to work in college athletics for the length of the order?

Jamie: It's not a straight ban. What it does is require a department that wishes to hire one of them to: 1) declare there are aware of the person's sanctions from the NCAA and will enforce them on the individual or department as a whole; and 2) adequately defend the hire in light of other options to fill the position.

Don: You've given me another carrot to hang out there in an effort to make him go away and allow us to move on without outside scrutiny. I'll call and ask him to come to campus to meet with me this afternoon. Fingers crossed that he chooses to walk instead of fight, else I'll call a presser for tomorrow morning to address it.

Marc: Never knew you to be this much of a gambler, Don.

Don: I'm willing to risk a public flogging from the media if it gets Gavin to see that a press conference to announce his departure would be more damaging to him than me.

Jamie: I'm appreciative of your support, Don, and I hope you won't have to be involved in any other matters concerning this, that Marc and I will be able to manage bringing the wrongdoers to justice and fixing the athletic department. Speaking of that, what is the breakdown of athletes and teams?

Marc: In total, there were 26 athletes who either were arrested or self-disclosed involvement. Soccer and Cheerleading had the most with five, followed by Acro and Basketball having three each. Two from Field Hockey, Cross-Country, and Ice Hockey, with one each from Lacrosse, Volleyball, Tennis, and Softball.

Jamie: Which one of mine was involved?

Marc: Sydney Montoya. I haven't read over the transcript from her interview with Abby Davidson, so I'm not sure of any mitigating circumstances surrounding her participation. I'll call you after I do and we can discuss sanctions. I take it you were not aware of this.

Jamie: No, and if I had known, she would have been dealt with severely if not outright punted.

Marc: If there's nothing else, I need to get back and plow through the transcripts on my desk.

Don gave both Marc and Jamie clearance to leave and said he'd notify them after his meeting with Gavin.

**********

By the end of the morning, Marc had been able to read through all the self-disclosure transcripts and chose to allow the respective coaches to hand down any penalties with the exception of Emily Boyd, who was barred from having her car on campus for Spring semester. In the case of two cheerleaders who came forward to Julie Jacobsen, Marc decided to wait on passing judgment until he read the transcripts from the three who were arrested, then presented his opinion to Jamie for possible program-wide sanctions. Before departing for lunch, he contacted Nicole Elias and Kelsey Prescott to set up hearings for them on Monday, as certain comments both made in their initial interviews led him to believe additional members of Women's Basketball might have been involved.

**********

The Dillon sisters got together for lunch at Applebee's at the Bayshore Town Center. With another tense family gathering on the horizon (Thanksgiving at Judy and Steve's in Greendale), Angela thought it'd be a good idea for the four of them to create a plan for dealing with their mother and aunt's indiscriminate sniping on them and their cousin.

Angela: Before we start in with the business portion of our sisters' lunch, Dani has a bit of an announcement.

Dani: In case you haven't heard yet, I was named head women's soccer coach at Trinity on Monday afternoon. My boss got picked up in the prostitution sting down here last weekend, which led our new athletic director to sack her. After a discussion between her, the school's president, and my man, Jamie decided to offer me the job outright, and before you ask, Marc had NOTHING to do with her decision. He only confirmed her initial opinion of my readiness to lead the program in the aftermath of the scandal and the expected loss of several players.

Olivia: How does this affect your other job?

Dani: Marc and I talked about it yesterday and he's willing to let me make my own decision on the matter. I'm planning at the moment to juggle the two positions through the start of March, when Spring practice begins.

Nicole: Is Cali going to continue playing with you now in charge?

Dani: Yes, and I plan to name her as one of next year's captains. Anyways, let's talk turkey!

Angela chuckled at Dani's play-on-words. "I see the good chaplain is rubbing off on you, or are you picking up the funny from his nephew?"

Dani: Between the two of them and Erin, I couldn't tell you which one has influenced my sense of humor the most.

Angela: Now, about next Thursday. What can we expect from Mom and Aunt Judy? You KNOW they're going to find SOMETHING to pick on.

Nicole: My turning 30 and not having a husband or a solid career.

Olivia: Shawn and I not giving her another grandbaby to dote upon, or is that screw up?

Angela: She asked me recently if Brent and I were stopping at two or not. That's probably what she'll try to hit me on.

Dani: The two of them will come after me again about Marc, and this time I'm not going to put up with it. I still don't get why they won't give me the benefit of the doubt and realize I know what I'm doing and am not being led on by him.

Nicole: This guy means that much to you, Deuce?

Dani: Yes, he does, so much so that if he asked, I'd say yes with no hesitation.

Nicole: That's quite the statement, sis. So how do we keep the Kiefer sisters from getting in a dig on us or Cali, or respond if they do?

Dani: I won't sit around and take it. If you think what I said at my birthday party was rough, that will look like a lullaby compared to what I'll throw down if those women pipe up. If that doesn't do it, I'll just go. No need to be a punching bag for their deep-seated fears.

Angela: Defend one another at all costs. Have each other's backs. Change subjects and direct the conversation away from them.

The other three nodded in agreement with their big sister.

Olivia: A couple of things I want to bring up. First, with me having Christmas Eve and Christmas Day off, I'd like to host the family gathering this year instead of next. Angela, is that OK?

Angela: It's fine with me. With your schedule at the hospital, I know you and I will have to swap years on occasion because you're working one or both days or nights.

Olivia: That's settled, then. Onto my other inquiry. Can we do a sisters' date night sometime soon? I'd like to get to know Marc and Zach better and to see the three of you dressed-up a bit.

Dani: When are you looking to do it, because you and Marc will probably be the ones we'll need to work around?

Olivia: Couple of weeks from now, as I'm off the 7th and 8th.

Dani: Only good day there is the 7th, because Christmas Eve dress rehearsal is the 6th and the service is the 8th.

Olivia: That work for everyone?

Angela: I'll make it work for us, because like you said, I want to see the rest of you looking GOOOOOD.

Nicole: I'll let Zach know and tell him it's non-negotiable. Where do you want to do it?

Olivia: Somewhere nice, but not over-the-top fancy. Open to suggestions.

Angela: Anchorage, Cheesecake Factory, California Pizza Kitchen.

Nicole: Pizza Man, Cafe Hollander, Lake Park Bistro.

Dani: Pizza Man sounds good to me. Which one, Downer or Tosa?

Olivia: Let's go with the one on Downer. I'll make the reservation tomorrow.

Dani looked at Nicole and felt the tension between them thawing a little, which made her believe she could eventually develop a relationship with her as strong as the ones she has with the other two. Before everyone left the restaurant, Angela took a selfie of the four of them, then posted it to her Instagram.

ADStruye: Sisters before misters! @Liv4Ever @NickiD @DaniPDillon

**********

Don: I'm going to make this quick, so we as an institution can move forward in cleaning up the mess you and others have created. In light of overwhelming evidence of financial mismanagement and criminal activity, it is my belief that you're no longer fit to serve as athletic director at Trinity Lutheran University. How this goes down is up to you. You can either resign and we can make the change quietly, or be fired and have the reasons for your dismissal aired.

Gavin: Severance?

Don: Not even an option, or don't you understand the gravity of the charges against you? I could turn this over to the Milwaukee County and Ozaukee County DA's offices for prosecution. The only way you probably save your career in college athletics, even with us seeking a five-year show-cause order from the NCAA, as well as stay out of jail is to walk away.

Gavin: I could fight you for breach of contract, as you would be dismissing me for reasons not specified as terminable offenses.

Don: Do you REALLY want to get into a public relations war with me and the rest of the clean-up crew? Between myself, your successor, and Mad Dog Marc, your case for wrongful dismissal wouldn't stand a chance. Take some advice, Gavin. The ability to bend the narrative in the press release will do you so much more good than the fallout of us going public. Walk away.

Gavin chose to take the carrot being offered and, after President Garrett's executive assistant entered the office, verbally submitted his resignation, which was transcribed. After shaking hands with Don, he went over to Buuck and cleaned out his former office before leaving campus.

**********

Prior to heading home for the day, Marc called Jamie and gave her a summary of Sydney's interview and defense.

Marc: I read over Sydney's interview and a couple of points came to light. First, were you aware her parents had separated near the start of preseason practice?

Jamie: No. I'm guessing she got into the ring as a result of that.

Marc: Yes, in order to finance the portion of her tuition, fees, room, and board that would be left unpaid following her parents' contributions, which would be less-than-anticipated.

Jamie: Did she not know about the Student-Athlete Emergency Fund?

Marc: Probably not. I wasn't aware of us having one until you just mentioned it.

Jamie: Don and Paul felt like we should offer departmental support to our student-athletes akin to Division I despite being a D-III institution. That's why Casey and Kara's positions exist and how we have both an associate and assistant athletic director.

Marc: I should thank the two of them for that when I see them next. Moving on. Sydney also understands what she did and is willing to take whatever penalties are befitting. I plan to levy academic and campus restrictions that have been used in past cases I've adjudicated. She will be allowed to take no more than 12 credits next semester, with her and Casey determining her new schedule. The other one restricts her to campus until the end of January, with a curfew therein. As for athletic sanctions, that is your domain.

Jamie: The two penalties you're looking to give her seem fair given precedent and the nature of the offenses. I'll meet with her tomorrow to discuss the matter and how I plan to sanction her. Does she have a court date or did she pay the fine at the time of booking?

Marc: She said she has a date, but didn't say when. I'll need to know that so I am able to intervene and hopefully get her time served as I did another student-athlete last year.

Jamie: I don't know how to thank you enough for all you've done this past week. Go home, get some rest tonight, and we'll tackle another set of problems tomorrow.

Marc: You too. Are you going to the GAA banquet tomorrow night now that you're officially AD?

Jamie: Hadn't planned on it, but I suppose I should show my face. You?

Marc: Again, hadn't planned on it, but Dani talked me into it since Sarah is receiving an award from the organization for last year's fix-it job on the lacrosse program following Lauren's departure.

Jamie: If I don't see you before that, we'll touch base then. Take care.

Marc: Same to you.

**********

Following dinner, Marc booted up Skype to call his sister and work out plans for next weekend and the holidays.

Laurie: When are you and my little nerd leaving there on Wednesday?

Marc: Between 2:00 and 2:15 if he's packed and gets his bags to my car prior to worship at Noon. Lindsey and Emily will be traveling up with us, so their readiness will also affect when we're able to depart Trinity. Our meal stop will be Osseo so I can see Brenda, Sydney, and Danielle's aunt and uncle, Angela's parents.

Laurie: Any plans for the weekend other than Thanksgiving on Thursday?

Marc: I'm staying away from the shopping adventures of you, Becca, Sam, and Stephanie. I'll probably be working some on Friday in preparation for next Monday's release of sanctions for the student-athletes involved in the school's prostitution ring. Are Michael and Sarah with you and Will or Keri and Jon this holiday?

Laurie: Actually, bro, I threw Will out. Found out he'd been paying child support for a kid he created right before we got together and didn't disclose that fact to me. He told me he would be seeking to have his parental rights terminated after the child's mother got married in a couple of weeks, which made me wonder about his attitude toward Matt and Sam. We fought, he said a few things he probably regrets in hindsight, and I sent him packing.

Marc: I'm sorry to hear that, sis. How are you doing from an emotional perspective?

Laurie: I'm OK. Still hasn't registered, really. I don't want Matt to worry about his and my ability to pay for his education, but it's going to be tough with only one income.

Marc: Do you want me to get you an appointment with Financial Aid? Is Geoff contributing at all?

Laurie: I cut a deal with him that he has to pay for Sam's education, but that was with Will and I handling Matt's and eventually part of Michael and Sarah's. Might need to talk to him again and rework that agreement. As for meeting with Financial Aid, what can they do? Matt and I signed off on the package he was given for this year.

Marc: They can re-assess his available resources since your household income will have dropped a significant amount. He could also be eligible for scholarship funds from the ELCA or a discount on his tuition at Trinity because of me. If all else fails and you can't get additional money for Spring, talk to me. I might be able to help bridge the gap, either directly or indirectly.

Laurie: I don't know what to say. This is a complete reverse on what you said last Christmas when you were sort of pissed that Matt was touting his relationship with you. What changed?

Marc: Danielle's death made me re-evaluate my potential role in Matt's life, as you mentioned in your comment to Dani and I's commitment photo. He's gotten a bit of an education from me and the girls so far this semester and I think it's bringing him around to a better understanding of how to be himself without driving people nuts. In fact, he might have a blind date for our Friendsgiving celebration on Sunday.

Laurie: Blind date? Tell me what you've cooked up.

Marc: There are two athletes on Erin and Steph's floor that have sort of taken a shine to your boy. One of them, Julie, is a freshman on the lacrosse team and has developed a bit of a friendship with Erin. Matt and her were part of the same Orientation group in August, then crossed paths at the Reformation Day dinner. Matt asked if I could help him make contact with her, which I passed onto the girls since they have better access to her than I. If something starts up, I'll give you more details. Just know that she has some cred, but is sort of running from it.

Laurie: I'll stay hands-off until and unless you bring it up. When are you planning to be up this way for Christmas?

Marc: The weekend before Christmas, 20th-23rd give or take. Dani and I are planning to spend Christmas Eve just the two of us, then hopefully be able to attend her family's gathering on Christmas Day. The 27th, her, I, Erin, and Steph will meet in Chicago to fly the next morning to Vancouver for a wedding I'm doing on New Year's Eve.

Laurie: Speaking of her, have things with her family gotten better?

Marc: I haven't met her "difficult" sister yet, and her mom and aunt are still being PITAs 1 and 2 to her, but the other two sisters and their husbands, her dad, and Cali's dad are all supportive. She met her sisters for lunch today and they talked about how to manage their possible sniping on Thanksgiving.

Laurie: I feel for the two of you. If I felt I had the place to knock some sense into them, I'd do so since clearly no one else so far has been able to make them come to grips with reality and the undeniable truth of your love for each other.

Marc: Dani said she was going to contact you after Thanksgiving about getting together when you come down to retrieve Matt following finals and possibly have you, Erin, and Steph do an intervention with the women, as you are by far my harshest critic and won't pull punches.

Laurie: I'll give her a ring tomorrow and see what we can drum up. Meanwhile, I'll see you and Matt on Wednesday night. Drive safe and say hi to everyone for me.

Marc: Will do, and if you need or want me to get the ball rolling with Financial Aid, let me know.

Laurie: For sure.

After Marc hung up, he kicked back and watched a replay of the Canada/Costa Rica game from last night before heading to bed.


	78. Another Day In Paradise

Day Five of the athletic department's restoration project promised to be the toughest to date, as two of the big fish arrested on Saturday night, soccer players Allie Lerner and Carli Lowe, were scheduled to appear before Deacon Schmidt. Both players faced major penalties for their roles in the ring, with their new coach already declaring them unwelcome to return to the program. When he arrived at Trinity, the chaplain went down to the basement of Rincker to touch base with Coach Dillon and warn her about potential groveling from one or both athletes following their hearings and the passing of judgment. He also caught her up briefly on what he and Laurie talked about last night and worked out their car situation for after the GAA banquet (he'd have Erin and Steph drive his Intrepid down tomorrow when they came to his place to rehearse for the Joke-Off with Matt, Lindsey, and Emily, with him and Dani leaving campus tonight in her car). She complimented him on his outfit (grey jacket, black pants, and a midnight blue button-down shirt) before they exchanged a slight peck and Marc headed up to the main floor to go to his office.

At 10:00, Allie arrived and took her seat before Marc.

Marc: I have the police report from Saturday night along with anecdotal evidence that points to you as a high-ranking member of the alumni relations club. There is enough proof here for me to give you a sentence that is quite heavy. Before I pass judgment, I will allow you a chance to offer a defense of your actions, including any mitigating factors that contributed to your participation.

Allie: I can't defend my actions. They are what they are. I made certain choices and now have to live with the consequences, ones that will force me to step away from my education for a bit.

Marc: Why's that?

Allie handed Marc a copy of her medical report from Student Health. "I'm 9 weeks pregnant and will be taking off Spring semester to work and build a nest egg for when my child arrives."

Marc: Does the father know?

Allie: I couldn't tell you who the father is, actually. The only thing that is pinned-down is that the conception happened on Homecoming weekend.

Marc: When I investigate Gavin's management of this program, I'll see what he has on hand concerning clients. If there is something, it will help you narrow down the possibilities. I will have to confirm the report with Student Health before I render my sentence, because this will affect aspects of it.

Marc called over to Student Health and asked for Dr. Bucholz, his go-to person when it came to athletes' medical needs.

Dr. Rachel Bucholz: Dr. Bucholz here.

Marc: Rachel, it's Marc Schmidt. I have a student-athlete in my office and I need to confirm the facts from her latest medical visit to Student Health.

Marc gave Rachel the necessary information for her to pull Allie's file.

Rachel: She came in on Wednesday because she had missed her last two periods. The doctor who saw her asked the requisite questions about diet, exercise, and sexual activity, which led to Allie being administered a pregnancy test. She was informed it came back positive and told she was about 9 weeks along.

Marc: Thank you for the confirmation. I'll let you get back to being Big Bad Doctor Bulldozer.

Rachel laughed at Marc's comment. "And you can return to your Inquisition of the offending student."

Marc hung up and faced Allie.

Marc: Dr. Bucholz at Student Health confirmed the positive pregnancy test and how far along you are. As you have confessed to the actions for which you were arrested on November 16th, it is the opinion of this tribunal that you be sentenced as follows: 1) Dismissal from the women's soccer program; and 2) Academic suspension to last through the Spring 2020 semester. As for your Fall courses, I will send along a copy of your medical report to the provost and recommend that your professors treat your suspension as though you were absent due to illness and that they grade you for the semester based on the work completed to date or give you an incomplete for the course, allowing you to finish it either during your absence or when you return to Trinity after your suspension. Additionally, I will allow your suspension to run concurrent with your planned leave of absence. It's going to be tough enough for you to deal with all that is on your plate AND be able to return next Fall, and I don't feel it necessary to heap more punishment on you than what life has already handed out.

Allie: I understand, and I'm grateful that you chose not to dismiss me from Trinity nor have my professors zero out the remainder of my courses this semester. I know I have a hard road ahead of me the next several months, but having two lights at the end of the tunnel will make it worthwhile. The first being my son or daughter, the second being my return to school. Will I have to move out of the dorms immediately?

Marc: No. You can theoretically stay until after finals, but you also have the option of moving out any time between now and then. I'll inform your hall director of my ruling, then he or she will contact you to discuss the matter.

Allie rose from her seat and walked toward the door, with Marc behind her. She turned around and stuck out her hand, but Marc instead gave her a hug and a few words of encouragement for the journey that was to come.

**********

Carli strolled into Marc's office at 1:20 for her 1:00 meeting with him.

Marc: You're not off to a good start showing up 20 minutes late. Sit down and we'll begin.

Carli did as asked and Marc began his interrogation.

Marc: Over the course of the past four days, a LOT of fingers have been pointed at you as the ringleader of the prostitution racket which was broken up this past weekend. I have the police report from Saturday night, several statements made about your role in the planning and execution of the ring's nightly activities, and your academic file, which includes your restrictions for a portion of this past season due to scholastic performance. Having read over all of these documents, you are facing a severe set of sanctions from me. Before I hand them down, I will allow you to plead your case for leniency.

Carli: What can be more severe than tossing me off the women's soccer team?!

Marc: One, the academic sanctions that will be administered, and two, the possible sanctions Brian will face for his role in the ring during Churchwide Assembly.

Carli: I shouldn't be facing on-campus penalties for what was an off-campus matter.

Marc: As the formulation and planning of your illegal activities occurred at Trinity, it is considered an on-campus matter.

Carli: As for Brian, the most you can do is file a letter of censure with his candidacy committee. THEY will make the decision as to what penalties he faces.

Marc: Don't be so sure of that. The proof of his involvement in illicit, immoral, and illegal acts will render him ineligible for rostering and get him booted straight out of candidacy.

Carli: And I suppose you want me to fall on the sword for him, save his neck by accepting a stiffer penalty than I deserve. I bet Chunky Monkey would LOVE for you to do that! She's hated me from the first day we met, and now that she's in charge, she can get rid of me.

Marc: Watch your mouth, little girl, or I'll have to call in campus security to keep me from taking out my anger on you in a physical manner. You are NOT going to refer to a member of the university community in such a disrespectful manner and get away with it.

Carli: I know you're fucking her and were doing so while you were still married. How do you think we were able to con Dr. Baines into taking up our cause to get you run out of here?

Marc: And then bailed on her when it came time to put up or shut up! You're digging yourself a hole, Ms. Lowe, that I'm not sure you'll ever be able to exit.

Carli: Let's get on with this so I can submit my appeal to Dr. Moncrief and President Garrett.

Marc: You are hereby dismissed from the women's soccer program and placed on academic suspension through the Spring 2020 semester. Based on your transcript, I will not send forth a recommendation for how your professors should view your absence from classes for the final three weeks of the semester nor the failure to take any of your finals.

Carli: And what is the additional punishment you want me to take in place of Brian's disqualification from candidacy?

Marc: Do not appeal this sentence, nor my petition to the provost next semester for academic dismissal. Take it, and you still have the dream of the picket fence, 2.3 kids, and community standing available. Fight it, and all of that goes away, because I will tell Brian at the time of his hearing about the offer I made you to save his hide.

Carli sat in silence while contemplating her future with the sentence that was on the table. The truth was she loved what Brian could give her, which was societal rehabilitation after she served her time, more than she loved him as a human being. Marc gave her time and space to mull over the options in front of her. Carli got up and walked around the room a bit, working out in her mind how she'd move forward following the academic penalties she was being given.

Marc: I understand this is a difficult decision, so I'm going to make it a little bit easier. Let's say I extend the suspension through Fall 2020. Once that semester starts, you will be free to transfer to any school you wish for Spring 2021 without the specter of an academic dismissal on your record, as the one-year suspension will dissolve into a voluntary withdrawal from the university upon your non-registration for Fall 2020 classes.

Carli (internal monologue): Sit out a year, but be free to go anywhere I want after that, or be suspended for Spring and dismissed thereafter, thus creating possible restrictions to where I can transfer? If I appeal, there's no guarantee I win and Brian for sure will be removed from the candidacy process.

Carli: I've decided to accept the sentence you deem appropriate.

Marc: To re-iterate, you're dismissed from the women's soccer program and suspended from Trinity Lutheran University through the 2020 Fall semester. You will be able to stay in the dorms through finals if you wish, or you can choose to move out any time between now and then. You have a lifeline. Use it wisely.

Carli left the chaplain's office with her head down, knowing she had been given both a stiff sentence and a second chance at the same time. She returned to her room and allowed the emotional fatigue she felt to lull her to sleep.


	79. A Night Of Surprises

The Melanchthon Center was being prepared for the Gay Athletes' Association's inaugural fundraising banquet, with the campus's events staff taking extra care to make sure everything looked perfect for the arrival of students, faculty, staff, and guests. The featured speaker tonight was Canadian Olympian Rosie Cossar, whose fight against the uber-feminine stereotype of female gymnasts resonated with a number of the organization's leaders who saw the box some of the school's lesbian and bisexual athletes lived in particularly stifling. Though Trinity didn't have a gymnastics program, its Acro and Tumbling team was made up by and large of former gymnasts and competitive cheerleaders.

At Dani and Michelle's house, she and Sarah were getting ready for the night ahead.

Sarah: When you said to turn up the sizzle, was this what you had in mind?

Dani: That's fairly hot. I'm also guessing it's pretty standard business underneath it.

Sarah: If you mean everything's covered, then yes. I don't have any of the stuff that you were showing Michelle and I on Tuesday night. This is about as far down that road as I could go with what was in my wardrobe. As for you, Deuce, that outfit is very forward, and I'm sure Marc will want to find out what you're hiding underneath it once you and him are alone.

Dani: This dress isn't as daring as the ones I wore for the Homecoming dance and this year's All-Sports Mixer, but the parts you can't see are another story.

Dani put one foot on a chair and revealed to Sarah the tops of her holdups and the midnight blue panties she chose for the evening.

Sarah: That's a bit advanced for me right now. Why midnight blue?

Dani: It's the color of the shirt Marc's wearing tonight. I got to see his outfit this morning and he looked so good in it, I got a little wet thinking about ripping it off him.

Sarah: Well, I'll get to see all of it and more in your primer. Having second thoughts about it?

Dani: Nope. We have the room and camera set up so it will begin recording before the two of us get to his place and thus we're not playing to it or worrying about angles and the like.

Back up on campus, a number of students were putting the final touches on their attire.

Tori (to Katelyn): I'm not sure about this look. Seems a bit heavy to me.

Katelyn: It's not bad. The bottom is like a double hem, where you're offering a bit of a tease where the sheer overlay exists below the main part of your dress. Your shoes are fairly practical for tonight. I'm sure Steph will think you're adorable.

Tori: Thanks, roomie. You and Abby have any plans tonight?

Katelyn: She's trying to catch up on school after being tied up for most of two days with work for the chaplain's office.

Tori: Ah, yes. I understand. I'll be working heavy most of Sunday trying to get my article for the Trinity Times finished so it can be run alongside the interview I did with one of the former participants.

Katelyn: Are you picking Steph up, or is she picking you up?

Tori: She's coming here since Augsburg is on the way to the Melanchthon Center.

Katelyn: Best of luck tonight, and if you want some privacy afterwards, text me and I'll try to find somewhere else to bed down. I should ask Cali because Erin will be with Steph and I'm guessing Alyssa will end up with Kristie and Sam.

Down the hall, Steph McNamara was getting a bit of a pep talk from her BFFs.

Steph M.: Do I look alright? Is there anything hanging out of my nose? Food between my teeth? Dress down in the back?

Sam: Relax, Hood! You're panicking over nothing. Everything is as it should be. Now, you go down the hall, pick up your date, and wow her tonight.

Kristie: Yes, Stephy! You look fine, probably better than I've seen you in a while. You know, we might be able to help you out a little if you're thinking of some extracurriculars tonight. Alyssa's coming here because Steph wants their room for a romp with Erin. I'll talk to Katelyn and Cali and see about getting Tori's room free for the two of you to, well, get physical.

Steph thanked her buds for their words and planned intervention, then proceeded to pick up Tori. Up one floor, Alanna and Kayla were checking one another over before leaving.

Kayla: What do you think?

Alanna: It's a much brighter color than I'm used to seeing on you. I'm having some thoughts about seeing you out of it later on, which I need to turn off or we won't get out of our room. What about me?

Kayla: You look darling, my darling. Wish I had a taller pair of heels than these so I could close some of the vertical gap between us.

Alanna leaned down and placed a tantalizing kiss on her girlfriend's lips. "What I have in mind for you after we get back, height doesn't matter." 

As Alanna turned towards the door, Kayla gave her a light smack on the bottom in response to her teasing comment. Kayla closed and locked the door behind her, then took Alanna's hand in hers as they walked to the elevator.

**********

During the pre-dinner reception in the foyer, student-athletes were mingling with one another, some of tonight's donors, and others from the university community. Kailen and Shelley came up the stairs together and made their way over to Marc and Dani.

Marc: What a pair of lookers! Too bad you play for the other team.

Dani lightly swatted her man in response to his comment.

Marc: You both look sensational. Kailen, I'm sure you didn't ask your mom for advice on how to make your date's jaw drop.

Kailen: No, because she's forgotten how to wow others in her middle age.

Marc: Not that she did it in her younger days, either. I mean, she was cute and could be all girly when she wanted to go that route, but nothing that would set off smoke alarms like you could.

Kailen blushed, then gave the chaplain a peck on the cheek as a thank-you.

Shelley: My dad said you tried to contact him yesterday.

Marc: Yes. As I've worked my way through the evidence from last weekend's sting, and again, thanks to the both of you for giving me something tangible to take to the cops, I came across some comments from members of the women's basketball team that indicated a laissez-faire attitude by their coach toward what they did away from the court. I wanted to give him a heads-up in case Coach Krueger or President Garrett chooses to make a change in the program.

Jamie: Change in which program, Marc?

Marc: Follow me.

Jamie and Marc excused themselves and went toward one of the corners of the foyer, where Marc informed her about what had turned up in the transcripts of the three basketball players' interviews. Jamie told him they'd talk about it further on Monday, then returned to the others.

Dani (to Kailen): Are those Valentino Rockstuds you're wearing?

Kailen: No. Kaitlyn Pan. $120 as opposed to $995.

Dani: I got a pair of Rockstuds for around $200, but I had to scour the internet like crazy to find them. No way could I spend a grand for a pair of shoes on a first-year teacher's salary.

Shelley: We're going to head in and get seats. I have to say, Coach, that you have an effect on Deacon Schmidt that makes him, I don't know, seem sort of human.

Dani: Thank you, Shelley. He's definitely a horse of a different color, that's for sure. Really, he's not the bad guy everyone thinks he is. He got you and Kailen to cross paths, which looks to be a good thing. He's had a tremendous impact on me in the six-plus years we've known each other, which is why I feel confident taking over the women's soccer program in its present condition, with three dismissals and others wavering on staying here.

Dani offered both Kailen and Shelley hugs as they walked past her on their way into the ballroom, which were accepted and returned. After Steph and Erin arrived, Marc and Dani went in and found Sarah and Wil, who were seated with Sofia and Vanessa. After a number of compliments on how everyone was outfitted, the eight of them started in on their salads, which was followed by Chicken Milanese with roasted potatoes and steamed vegetables. As the wait staff was delivering dessert to the tables, the post-dinner program commenced.

Diana Thorne (GAA President): First, let me thank all of you for coming tonight to help the Gay Athletes Association in its efforts to expand the support which LGBT athletes receive both at Trinity and in the greater Milwaukee community. Before introducing our featured speaker, I'd like to have Trinity's interim athletic director, Jamie Krueger, say a few words.

Jamie rose from her seat on the stage and walked to the lectern.

Jamie: Thank you, Diana. I'm a bit unprepared as I wasn't expecting to be in this position tonight, so bear with me as I get going. When Concordia University-Wisconsin departed and Trinity Lutheran University was born, the need to advance the cause of ALL TLU athletes was mentioned by the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. From that discussion came the birth of the Gay Athletes Association. Their accomplishments since being founded are to be commended, as should the impact they have had on our campus culture. No longer do LGBT athletes need to be afraid of being who they are and loving who they choose. Look around the room tonight. Everyone here is an ally in the fight to make Trinity Lutheran University a welcoming place for the furtherance of one's academic, athletic, and social development, and I hope all of you will take the time to reach out to one another. Thank you.

Diana returned to the lectern to continue with the program.

Diana: Our featured speaker was a member of the Canadian Rhythmic Gymnastics Team at the 2012 London Olympics, captaining the Maple Leaf to an 11th place finish. She was also an anomaly in that world being a gay woman. After coming out in 2014, she began advocating on behalf of LGBT athletes, going on to lead #OneTeam, an inclusion program launched by the Canadian Olympic Committee. Her topic tonight is "Who Do I Represent?", a question she came to ask herself after the London Games. Ladies and gentlemen, Rosie Cossar.

Rosie gave a passionate, inspiring speech about how pressure gay athletes place on themselves to prove their worth to their teams and therefore represent their university, their locality, their state or province, and/or their country meant not representing their true selves in that pursuit. It was this feeling of living an inauthentic life which led her to publicly come out two years after her retirement from the sport of rhythmic gymnastics. She also addressed the "Pretty Girls In Little Boxes" stereotype of women in overly feminine sports such as gymnastics, figure skating, and competitive cheerleading and how the expectation of modeling traditional femininity affected the ability of lesbian athletes in those sports to stay the course and press onward in maximizing their potential. After taking a few questions from the audience, she sat down and Diana moved onto the next part of the evening's program.

Diana: The first award tonight, which is for the member of the athletic department who we considered the greatest ally to LGBT athletes and their issues, goes to Sarah Hawthorne, head women's lacrosse coach. According to the nomination letter sent to us by Megan Racicot, a 2019 alumna of TLU, her support for the lesbian and bisexual athletes on her team in the face of homophobia and sexism from their former head coach, not to mention her eventual filing of a grievance against the individual for sexual harassment that led to the university parting ways with that person, allowed the team to turn a 1-6 start into a 6-10 season, which included a 4-3 record in the NACC and a three-game winning streak to close the campaign. Would Coach Hawthorne come forward to receive your award?

Wil leaned over and gave Sarah a peck on the cheek before she stood up and walked to the rostrum at the front of the room. After she received her plaque from Diana, she stepped to the lectern and made a short statement.

Sarah: I am truly honored that the GAA considered me to be their greatest ally in the athletic department this past year. I can't take all the credit for how the team came together as one voice to bring to light the dispiriting of our program. As Megan said in her nomination letter, I had their backs when they finally chose to go after Coach Heberlein following her tirade in the locker room following one of our home matches. What she didn't mention is how other voices on the team rose up to support me in leading them for the remainder of the season. Can I have all players from the women's lacrosse program in attendance come up to the stage?

Eleven members of Sarah's team (Erin, Steph Lafleur, Shelley, Sofia, Lauren Chandler, Kelley Ochowicz, Jane Carrington, Andi Susskind, Maggie Dowling, Savannah Johnson, and Steph McNamara) came forward and stood behind their coach.

Sarah: These women up here deserve a good deal of credit for pulling together in a situation where it would have been easy to give up or go with the flow. I am proud to lead them and I look forward to what we can do together this coming Spring. Before I finish, I would like to acknowledge two others who assisted me in fighting for our team's ability to love out loud. The first is head women's soccer coach Danielle Dillon, who accompanied me on the team's first road trip after the coaching change and helped set the stage for the program's eventual resurrection. I do not know how to thank you, Deuce, for sharing your experience and knowledge with me in my first days on the job. The other person is TLU chaplain Marc Schmidt. Mad Dog, you believed my players, you believed ME when we came to you with our concerns and took up the cause once there was significant enough evidence of Lauren's misconduct. I can't tell you how much I appreciated your help and guidance in righting the ship. Can you please stand?

Slightly embarrassed, Marc and Dani rose to their feet to a solid round of applause.

Sarah: I guess I'm done.

As Sarah and the women's lacrosse players left the stage, Diana announced the second award of the evening, for the GAA's greatest ally among the faculty, which was given to Professor of Biology Veronica Faulkner. Dr. Faulkner came forward and thanked the GAA for the award and praised the "out" athletes she has taught in her time at Trinity.

Diana: Our last award is for "Most Valuable Trinitarian", which is the person who we deemed the greatest ally for LGBT students and athletes on this campus. There was no restriction on who we could choose, and the choice wasn't very difficult. From assisting students in the development of an LGBT Resource Center at Trinity to steering the process which led to a new Code of Student Conduct to helping eradicate homophobia from the athletic department, this person went to bat over and over for us, and no amount of thanks would be too much. This year's MVT is Chaplain Marc Schmidt.

While Marc walked toward the front, he was stopped numerous times by coaches, athletes, and other guests wishing to congratulate him. Once he finally got up front, he hopped onto the stage and began his remarks.

Marc: This is a surprise. It's probably for your benefit that I don't have anything prepared, because it means this will be a short thank-you speech. First, thank you, GAA, for recognizing the good that Bishop Emerson and I did last Fall in revising the Code of Student Conduct and thereby expanding the range of edifying relationships that were acceptable within the university community. My support for the GAA and LGBT issues in general is deeply personal, as a number of my loved ones are members of one or both communities. I've said from the pulpit that I would fight for them to love who they want and how they want, and I will continue to do so. I don't know who I should recognize, so I'll just say thank you one and all for allowing me to play a small role in your lives here at Trinity.

Diana returned to the lectern and wrapped things up for the evening. Before he was able to leave the ballroom, Marc was cornered by the women's lacrosse team who wanted to get a picture with him. Erin and Steph Lafleur stood next to him on either side, with the others filling in around them. Just as Wil was about to take the picture, the two girls leaned in and pecked his cheeks. Erin took her phone back from Wil and uploaded the picture to her Instagram.

EDMatheson17: My lacrosse sisters and I caught the camera-shy @DeaconSchmidt before he could leave. Congrats, XP, on your MVT award, and know all of us love you. Yes, even Shelley. #dad2point0 #maddog

**********

The aftereffects of the eye candy on display at the banquet led to a number of on-campus couples releasing their sexual tension on one another. Steph and Tori made use of the latter's room to get adventurous with each other, while her next door neighbors Sofia and Vanessa's hot-and-heavy lovemaking session was clearly audible in the hallway and the two adjoining rooms. Erin and Steph slowly and tenderly reunited their bodies with each other. with Alyssa taking advantage of sleeping in Kristie and Sam's room to have some fun with the two of them.

As Sarah and Wil were driving back to his place, she took his right hand and placed it on the top of her left leg, underneath the skirt portion of her dress. He felt the silkiness of her hose and squeezed her thigh gently. After they were inside his apartment, Wil took the lead and allowed his hands and mouth to roam over Sarah's body before the two of them retired to his bedroom and had their way with one another.

Kailen and Shelley pulled into the Motel 6 parking lot, desiring to finish off the eyefucking each was doing to the other for most of the night. After checking in and getting their keys, they went up to their room. Now behind closed doors, the two of them ravenously attacked one another, wasting little time in getting each other's dress off to reveal what goodies lied beneath it. Shelley was wearing a black demi-bra and thong while Kailen had on a wine-colored fishnet bodysuit. The slightly-taller brunette lied back on the bed, pulling Shelley on top of her. Their hands moved feverishly over one another's body, with Shelley taking the initiative and sliding one onto Kailen's covered pubic area. After receiving non-verbal permission to go further, she unclipped the crotch of her bodysuit, exposing her bare vaginal region. Kailen unhooked and removed Shelley's bra, then took her right nipple into her mouth, sucking softly on the nub while her girlfriend adjusted to the sensations being provided. Shelley reached back and ran her hand over Kailen's love zone, leading her to reach down and push one of Shelley's fingers inside her. She then asked her to slide a second one in, after which she contracted her vaginal muscles and started bucking against them. Once she had cum, Kailen rolled Shelley onto her back and moved down her body, sliding her thong down her hips and over her legs. With the blonde now completely naked before her, Kailen placed her mouth over Shelley's pussy and started licking it, with her teeth slightly grazing her clit. Shelley thrashed around a bit as her lover brought on an intense orgasm, the likes of which she had never felt before. With both satisfied for the moment, they took off their heels and intertwined their legs, then caressed each other gently before Shelley rested her head on Kailen's breastbone. Kailen ran her fingers through Shelley's hair, then laid her head back upon one of the pillows and reveled in the feelings she had for the woman in her arms.

**********

Upon arriving at his house, Marc and Dani removed their coats and threw them over the back of the couch, then looked at one another.

Dani: I never properly congratulated you on your award. I know it was unexpected, but it was not undeserved given all you did last year for the benefit of Trinity's student body.

Dani pressed her lips against Marc's and suckled on his lower one, hoping he would give her access to the inside of his mouth. He split his lips and tapped the tip of his tongue against her upper lip, which she stretched upward to give him an opening through which to insert it. After some more passionate kissing, Dani broke their lip lock and led Marc by the hand up to his bedroom.

As the two of them walked toward the front of the bed, they resumed their romancing of one another through kisses and soft caresses. When she was ready to move ahead, Dani lightly shoved Marc onto the bed, then climbed on top of him and began unbuttoning his shirt, kissing the exposed skin as she went along. He undid the buttons on the cuffs, which made it easy for her to remove the shirt from his body once it was completely opened. She moved back up his body, then rested her lips against his neck and purred like a kitten. Marc moved his hands down the sides of Dani's body and placed his hands underneath the hem of her dress, running them up the back of her legs. He felt bare skin a few inches before he reached her panty-clad rear, which sparked a bit of a charge in him and he kneaded her butt cheeks, causing her to moan lightly. Before Marc was able to get a hand underneath her panties and onto her quim, Dani moved down his body and began removing the clothes on his lower half. Once she was done, she gave his manhood a tender yank before running her lips over its tip and down the shaft, leaving a kiss at its base and one on his scrotum.

Marc: I take it I'll be waiting a bit before I can attack that sweet pussy of yours with my mouth, my hands, my dick.

Dani mumbled a yes to him as her mouth was wrapped around his penis. After several more passes up and down his member, she released it and came back onto the bed. She then turned her body around and resumed her oral copulation of Marc, with her covered back side resting a couple of inches from his face. He ducked his head under her dress and slid her panties to one side, then ran his tongue over her slit with his hands resting on her hips. As she continued to massage his pecker with her mouth, he paid close attention to her clit, alternating between nibbling, licking, and sucking upon it. Her moans of delight were becoming audible and she had to release him from between her lips in order to concentrate on the body-shaking orgasm she was about to receive.

After coming down from her high, Dani moved off the bed and stood up in front of it, then pulled Marc up by the hand. When they were face-to-face, the pair exchanged several romantic kisses while he lowered the zipper on her dress, allowing it to fall to the floor. He pushed down the straps of her bralette and kissed the bare shoulders underneath them before moving his mouth to her breastbone. She lifted the bottom of her bralette up and pulled it over her head. As she was doing that, Marc continued his oral trip south and licked around her navel before rolling down the sides of her panties and exposing her wondrous womanhood. The two went back onto the bed, with Marc lying down and Dani positioning herself to take him inside her. Once the pair had connected, he rested his hands on the small of her back, just above the top of her rear end. She bent over a little to let her man press deeper into her. He leaned up a bit and began moving his lips over her ample breasts, licking and sucking her nipples. When Marc laid back down, he moved his hands off Dani's back and placed them on either side of his head, which she responded to by interlocking her fingers with his and slowly, methodically riding him until he came close to coming, at which time he began pounding into her from underneath before climaxing. The two of them continued their to-and-fro while his semen exited her and his magic wand deflated.

As the two of them waited for Marc's soldier to come back to attention, they held one another and whispered words of love and passion to each other. When he was ready to start anew, Dani guided Marc's length inside her. After developing a bit of a rhythm, Marc pulled Dani on top of him as he spread out on the bed. She pounded up and down on his shaft, with him squeezing her breasts and kissing her back. She leaned back onto his chest and pressed her lips against his neck before kissing him fervently on the lips. His hands moved downward to her torso, where he wrapped his arms around her as she began shuddering as a result of her second orgasm.

The pair separated briefly so they could switch positions. Dani removed her heels and threw them onto the floor, then laid on her back. Marc moved between her legs and slowly slid into her. Once he was sufficiently deep, she wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him in deeper still. She tightened her vaginal walls around Marc's manhood and provided him some loving encouragement.

Dani: You feel SOOOOOOO good inside me! Keep it up, baby. Make me scream your name, sweetheart.

Marc acted on her words by quickening his pace. She wrapped her legs tighter around his waist and draped her arms over his shoulders, her hands running over his back. The two of them stared intently into one another's eyes for the better part of 90 seconds before cumming in unison. Once both of them caught their breaths and descended from the delirium to which they drove one another, they took up their most natural cuddle position, with her head against his heart.

Marc: Think that will be enough of a primer for Michelle and Sarah to learn from and utilize on Dawson and Wil?

Dani: Oh yeah! I think it can also be helpful for us as a reminder of the romantic side of lovemaking and the effect of putting in some extra effort to make the experience more intense.

Marc: I don't think I'll ever tire of showing you how much I love and care about you, and how fortunate I am to have you as my other half.

Dani looked up at Marc and saw in his eyes the honesty of that statement. She then closed her eyes in order to keep from crying.

Dani: There isn't a word in the English language that can describe how I feel about you and the level of desire I have to be with you now and forever. When I told my sisters that I was going to light a torch under my mom and aunt if they started in on me again about you, Nicole asked how much you meant to me. I said so much that if you asked, I'd say yes with no hesitation.

Marc looked away briefly as the emotions going through his head were overwhelming him. Dani saw that and took his hand in hers, then kissed it and snuggled up closer to him. He looked back at her and held her tight, then kissed her on the lips. She returned his kiss with all the love her heart could summon, then re-positioned herself to guide him into her. Once inside, the two of them tightened their holds on one another, then allowed the all-encompassing love they shared to flow between them.


	80. Prepare And Execute

At Dani and Michelle's house, Friendsgiving cooking was underway. Megan Oliphant and her stepson's girlfriend were in the kitchen working on desserts for tomorrow's feast and talking about their men.

Michelle: How did you know that Ben was someone you wanted to be with long-term?

Megan: The way he treated me as an equal despite our age difference. I mean, he'd provide me a bit of guidance if I asked, but he never acted as though I didn't have a right to think for myself because I was younger. What makes you ask?

Michelle: Dawson and I have been together for give or take nine months. That should be sufficient time to know if we have something that will last or if our relationship is just a way station on the way to "the one". I see Dani and Marc and there is NO DOUBT in either of their minds, or anyone that knows them, that it's going the distance. I look at Sarah and Wil and feel they are in a similar place to lock it down with one another if they can get the physical to match the emotional. I think about Dawson and myself and don't feel like I have a clue. We haven't crossed any of the physical bridges that might indicate a yes or no to that question, but with our post-Christmas plans, that is probably going to be front-and-center.

Megan: Don't jump to conclusions as to whether you and him are meant to be or not at this point. The other two relationships you brought up really aren't comparable to yours with Dawson. If I remember correctly, Sarah and Wil have been best friends for more than ten years, so they already have the book memorized on each other and thus don't have to re-evaluate one another for compatibility. As for Dani and Marc, their connection is the result of his life experience and her ability to mirror his grieving process in the seven months since Danielle passed away. If you asked Ben how he knew, he'd probably give you a similar answer to that of Marc, that you re-enter the dating game at their age more sure of what you want and are quick to differentiate between those who have it and those who don't.

While Megan was pulling a pan of brownies out of the oven, Dani arrived home with Sarah coming in behind her. Michelle greeted them and asked them to pipe in on her dilemma.

Sarah: You and Dawson are at a plateau right now, comfortable with one another as significant others but not willing to risk the possibility of making a misstep for fear of losing what you have. Wil and I had several years of trust banked with each other before I made the decision to go after him, so that fear of being misunderstood or overstepping his boundaries wasn't there. Let things ride in cruise control until you go to Christmas Mountain, then try to take that next step.

Dani: Both of you are probably each other's first real love and are, like Sarah said, afraid of having things go sour by pushing forward into uncharted territory.

Michelle: So how did you and Marc move so effortlessly from "hello" to "never leave" in the course of twelve months or so?

Dani: It wasn't as easy as you make it sound. There were several times where one of us pushed too hard to advance things and the other had to pull back and assess their ability to match what was being presented to them. Even now, we still have to be a little cautious with each other, as he hasn't been through a full year of milestones without Danielle and I'm working to develop the steel required to survive as his forever one. The best advice I can give you is be patient and enjoy the advances as they come.

Sarah cut up a loaf of white bread, then drizzled the cubes in garlic-infused olive oil before putting them in the oven to dry out for the making of stuffing. Megan peeled and sliced russet potatoes, with Dani doing the same with sweet potatoes and Michelle with red-skinned potatoes for the making of two side dishes (White 'N Sweet Mashed Potatoes and Creamed New Potatoes with Peas and Pearl Onions).

Once the cooking was finished, the four women made themselves sandwiches and took seats in the living room. Dani told Michelle and Sarah that she had the video from last night and asked if they wanted to see it.

Sarah: You sure about this, because if you're not we don't have to watch it.

Dani: I'm sure. I gave it a quick viewing before I left Marc's and there's nothing in it that should be overly graphic. It's really not much more bawdy than what you'd see on Days Of Our Lives or Young And The Restless.

Megan: What are you queuing up?

Dani: Sarah and Michelle asked me for some advice on moving the needle with their guys in the realm of physical interaction, so Marc and I did a romantic primer last night after we returned to his place following the GAA banquet at Trinity. Again, it's not graphic like what you might see on RedTube or XHamster. Much more akin to X-Art or EroticaX.

Dani got her laptop and connected it to the television, then clicked on the icon for the video (she downloaded it from the SD card to her hard drive). Within a few seconds, the video began. As the four women watched it, they made a number of observations and comments.

Megan: You definitely enjoy what you're doing, it looks like.

Michelle: Is it supposed to be this slow and deliberate?

Dani: You can always go hot-and-heavy, but I like it when the two of us take our time and allow the emotional connection we have with each other to come to the surface.

Sarah: Given that Wil and I are the same heights as you and Marc, but in reverse, are some of your positions not feasible for the two of us?

Dani: I think you can make all of them work, but maybe not in the exact same way we do. For instance, you'll see one come up that is probably my absolute favorite point of connection with Marc, where I lean back onto his chest and we are pretty much face-to-face. With you being three inches taller than Wil, doing that will have you a good half-a-head above him and he'll more than likely have to bury his head into your neck to make a second contact point with you.

As the portion of the video Dani described played, the other three women responded to what they were seeing.

Megan: Wow! I can see why that position is your favorite. There is so much interaction between you and Marc. It seems to give both of you the freedom to really express your feelings for one another.

Sarah: How do I get Wil to free himself enough to touch me here, there, everywhere like Marc is doing with you?

Dani: Again, you have to figure out what makes him open up sexually to you. For us, it's the accessibility I give him to let his hands roam over my chest, my stomach, the top of my pubic area.

Michelle: It's going to take me a LONG time to work up to what you and Marc do. I need to get over my anxiety of letting Dawson see me naked before I even begin thinking about different ways to draw him in.

Once the video finished, Dani asked the others what they thought.

Sarah: The realness of what you and Marc share, the connectivity you have with one another, it drew me in and made me want to feel what you looked to be feeling, especially the last scene.

Michelle: How long did you and Marc stare at each other at the end?

Dani: Somewhere around 90, 95 seconds. When we lock eyes like that, the emotional transfer between us is so intense, I feel like my heart is going to jump out of my chest because of how it is drawn to him.

Megan: That was beautiful, Dani. I've had that kind of all-consuming passion for Ben on occasion, such as the night that we went about making Natalie after our Sweetest Day date, but it seems like a most-of-the-time thing for the two of you.

Dani: There are times where we'll just go at each other, but as our relationship has developed and we've allowed our deep-seated feelings for one another to come out, what you saw is how I believe we want to interact in the bedroom, which is why at the very end you saw the two of us pour out some deeply personal words to one another and both nearly tear up in response, which led to the never-let-go-of-me re-connection.

Megan and Sarah departed around 3pm, leaving Dani and Michelle to spend a quiet evening together ahead of tomorrow's full house gathering at Marc's place.

**********

Nikki Steiner (Wittenberg Hall Activities Director): Welcome to the Trinity Joke-Off! Tonight, we will have eleven acts attempt to make you bust a gut and perhaps send you running for the restroom if you catch my drift. Each act will perform their standard five-to-seven minute routine for the judges. After that, the field will be cut to the top four, who will go head-to-head in the semifinals. The winners of those match-ups will face off in the final. Audience applause will determine who advances and ultimately wins the Joke-Off. The order of appearance was done by random draw, and with that, on with the show.

As the show began, Steph was in the hallway offering feedback to the Snow Belt Comedy Tour (Matt Olson, Erin Matheson, Emily Sommer, and Lindsey Hoffman), who were scheduled to perform eighth of the eleven. Their run-through at Marc's place earlier in the day worked out a lot of the kinks in their repartee, and now they were focusing on the anecdotes they plan to use in each round. Back in the lounge, a smattering of support for the Augsburg foursome were watching their competition perform.

Kelley (to Emma): I wish I had signed up for this. Even though I'm not as big a goofball as Erin and the Gopher twins, I probably could take most of the ones we've heard so far straight-up.

Emma: Something to think about if there is another one next year. You, the two of us, and maybe Hayley and Sam. The back-and-forth between the two couples would be comedy gold, with you acting as sort of a Don Rickles-type referee.

Kelley: You might have something there.

Julie K. (to Lindsay and Marc): I know you both say Matt is funny as hell, but how does he compare to Erin, Emily, and Lindsey?

Lindsay: I said he was stupid funny, like Adam Sandler or Will Ferrell, not that he was out-and-out funny. As for the other three, I haven't heard any of their stuff so I can't really tell you.

Marc: Matt is pretty funny, but his humor is acerbic at times and he doesn't always know when it crosses the line between him ribbing someone and him sniping at them. The other three are all good-humored. Erin gets a lot of her wit from being an only child and because she's had to deal with me and my schtick for a good portion of her life. Lindsey and Emily are a classic straight-man/lunatic comedy team. All my best comparisons for them are guys from the 1950s.

Steph sat down next to Marc and was pulled into their conversation.

Marc: Steph, how would you compare the four Snow Belt comics?

Steph: Both Matt and Erin want to be mini-yous, and you know my opinion on how she compares to you.

Marc: Yeah, that's she's cuter than me when she rips the one-liners. Love you too.

Steph: As for the two Minnesotans, I think they are much like their NWSL doppelgangers or Diana and Rhian, where one is sort-of funny and provides a platform for their impish partner's antics.

Julie K.: Anything I need to know for tomorrow, Deacon Schmidt?

Marc: Bring your appetite. There will be more food on hand than you can imagine eating. Also bring your sense of humor, because there will probably be some embarrassing and funny stories told given the group there and the longevity they have with one another.

Steph: Like Deuce, Coach Hawthorne, Wil, and Michelle?

Marc: Them, but also Deacon Capshaw bringing up some of the insanity her husband has done in his previous calls and Erin's home pastor did alongside the two of us in college.

Steph: Right. Then there's me, Erin, and Dani putting you on the skewer for things you've done in worship or on-campus.

Julie K.: Do I need to bring a change of underwear in case things go too far with the funny?

Steph: Probably not, but if you're asthmatic, you might want to bring your inhaler with you.

Marc: Looks like our crew is about to go.

Nikki Steiner: Up next are four students from Augsburg Hall who claim to be "the funniest foursome to ever grace a college campus". Welcome if you will the Snow Belt Comedy Tour.

Matt and the three women brought stools out with them and placed them at the front of the stage before sitting upon them.

Matt: Before we get into our routine, I'd like to tell you how we know each other. The three women are all members of the women's lacrosse team at Trinity. Erin and I are cousins-of-sorts, being she is my uncle's goddaughter. As for Lindsey, Emily, and I, we live within a half-hour of one another in the Twin Cities. Now that I've bored you with our bios, let's get onto why we're here.

Erin: I have a bunch of ammunition to lay out on our beloved Mini-Marc. If I used all of it, we'd be here all night, so I'll tell you about our first meeting, which was by Skype. On Super Bowl Sunday, I was at a party at my godparents' house with a number of my teammates and friends. Danielle brought in Marc's sister Laurie via Skype since the Vikings were playing the Bills and Marc had spent some time in Buffalo earlier in his sports administration career. The Schmidt siblings engaged in a bit of trash-talking before deciding to put a bet on the game. Laurie asked Matt and his sister Sam what they wanted if the Vikings won, and this charming guy said he wanted Marc to set him up with me. I heard that and asked Danielle if I could give him my response. I told him he was cute and all, but I didn't go that way. You should have seen the blush run across his face as his best friend Andrew and step-brother Michael gave him the piss.

Emily chose to rip on Lindsey a little and told the crowd about their trip home for Thanksgiving last year and Lindsey's deer-in-the-headlights look in front of the pies and their conversation with Danielle's aunt and uncle at the Norske Nook. Lindsey returned the ribbing with a description of Emily's reaction to the PMA's entry for the Lutheran Campus Ministry Chili Cook-Off in January. Matt wrapped up their performance by getting into a small back-and-forth with Erin over her unspoken passion for him, hoping to win points with the judges for his over-the-top pleading with her.

**********

Despite not winning the final, Erin and her posse of funny people felt they gave the best three performances possible over the course of the evening. Their cheering section had nothing but praise for them, with Julie telling Matt that she might have to reconsider her opinion of him if what she saw was a more accurate representation of the man. Marc squared up with Erin, Steph, Matt, Cali, and Julie about starting time at the house tomorrow (dinner around 3:30, with cooking and the like starting at 10am), then went to his car to leave campus as the others walked back to Augsburg and Katharine Halls.


	81. A New Tradition

Friendsgiving Day began with Marc using the three hours of quiet and solitude before his house would become Grand Central Station to lay out some thoughts that he was unable to express on Friday night.

Princess,

Friday night was...I can't even describe it. The love, the tenderness, the oneness we had. I hope we are able to have more nights like that on our adventure through life.

Something you said during our pillow talk hit me extremely hard, which is why I looked away and seemed on the verge of an attack. When you told me how you responded to Nicole's question about my value to you, it made my head spin. The speed at which our relationship has evolved, it takes me by surprise and then I come face-to-face with my biggest fear about the two of us, trusting myself to remain faithful to you. Since I would NEVER be able to express verbally what I am about to say, I will do so in written form.

For all the love I have for you, all the desire that exists, and all the commitment I want to give you, I cannot get past the notion that, once the pressure of keeping you is off, I will backslide and return to my long-standing MO, which is a combination of continual improvement and supplementation. I entered my relationship with Danielle being only half-in. I accepted what she brought to the table, but knew I would need to find other means to satisfy what would be lacking. I made a LOT of mistakes both before getting married as well as in the first three years trying to build that Colossus which would bring me complete satisfaction with my life. The first couple of years in Kalamazoo went reasonably well, but between her disillusionment with finishing her Ph.D. and my inability to commit to a career path following graduation, I relapsed. That's what eventually led to me becoming disenchanted with our relationship and my leaving for a time. From the eventual reunion to Danielle's untimely death, I was more or less riding along, not overly into our marriage but not having viable options from which to upgrade. Then, you re-entered my world, providing me with the outside affirmation and love I needed to stay the course and willing to be that person for me long-term. Then another thing happened, which was my coming to the realization that, in one you, I could have the lifelong stability I wanted in a partner AND the love I had been seeking from others. As much as I want to be able to promise you complete fidelity, I can't guarantee that, and since I would NEVER want you to experience the pain that would come from my straying, keeping that last step off-the-table at this time provides me the "check" on my wandering eye, because you could easily walk away if I fell off the wagon.

I'd like to talk about this with you sometime between now and when I leave for Laurie's on Wednesday afternoon, so we both go into our Thanksgiving celebrations on the same page. I love you. I want you. I need you. Bear with me, and love me through my dilemma.

Marc

After a read-through and making a couple of minor edits, Marc printed the letter and placed it into a legal-size envelope, which he would give to Dani at some point today.

**********

Erin and Steph were in charge of the turkey, which they decided to spatchcock and grill. After removing the backbone and breastbone, they flattened the bird and placed it in a large roasting pan while Michelle pulled together a honey mustard wet rub. Dani was in the living room entertaining herself by watching a couple of US/Canada matches on-demand (the November 2017 friendly where Canada broke the US' sixteen-year unbeaten run against them, followed by the 2019 Women's World Cup quarterfinal that was decided on penalty kicks), gearing up for this evening's 2020 Olympic Qualifying final. Once the bird was tucked away in the refrigerator, Erin, Steph, and Michelle came into the living room to join their soccer nut of a friend.

Steph: Which game is this?

Dani: It's a friendly from 2017.

Steph: The Vancouver one, it looks like. This will be GOOD!

Erin: Canada's already ahead 1-0. How did they score?

Steph: Sinc volleyed in a pass from D-Math that almost exited the box.

Dani: I recognize who made the pass because we met her at Becca and EJ's wedding. The build-up to the goal was incredible.

Steph: No kidding! Triangled their way down the field and got JFlem open behind the US' right back.

Dani: I take it you've seen this before.

Steph: Maybe a few times. This match was a few days before all hell broke loose in the women's soccer world, with four break-ups involving members of the US National Team, a fan revolt in San Jose over several players coming out at the NWSL final, fisticuffs in the Philly airport between one of the Hearts and a reporter, not to mention our New Year's Eve brides getting together unofficially.

While the four women gabbed as they watched the game, Marc and Matt were having a talk in his office.

Matt: What did Julie mean when she said she might have to re-think her opinion of me?

Marc: Your first real impression on her didn't turn out so well, with you plugging your relationship with me during Chapel orientation.

Matt: Right. Forgot she was there.

Marc: I think she's also been getting intel from Erin and Steph, to size you up before deciding if you're someone she wants to get to know better. I think you made a good impression on her at the Reformation Day dinner, but you had me and Deuce sort of over your shoulder. Last night's comment seemed genuine and I hope today's gathering will allow you to cut out the middle people and, to quote Nike, "Just Do It!"

Matt: She's coming?

Marc: Yes. Erin invited her on Monday after hearing about her homesickness and boredom on-campus on weekends when Lindsay's away with the hockey team. You DID want them to break the ice for you, right?

Matt: Well, yes, but I didn't expect it to be done like, NOW! I was hoping they could do it by the end of the semester so when I returned in January, I could move ahead with getting to know her.

Marc: Relax, man. As nervous as it seems you're getting about this, she is probably in a similar place. Now, onto why I asked you into my office. How are you dealing with your mom and Will splitting up?

Matt: It will be unusual to go home on Wednesday and not see him or Michael or Sarah. As for feelings about the upcoming divorce, it's going to go as it goes. I'm not as big a piece in the puzzle any more since I'm down here most of the year. Sam is probably taking this hard since she's closer to his two kids than I am.

Marc: If you need to talk about it, for any reason, let me know. I'm here for you and will be for your mom and Sam as well. Us Schmidts have to stick together, since we're all we have.

After embracing his nephew, Marc went to the living room and caught up with those who were there, as Sarah, Wil, Ben, Megan, Dawson, and Laura arrived while he and Matt were away.

**********

In a reverse of what one would expect, the women along with the two Matts were outside on the patio and around the grill with Erin and Steph, while Marc, Wil, Ben, and Dawson were setting up tables and seating for dinner.

Wil: Marc, Ben, have either of you had to deal with getting cold feet when it comes to commitment?

Ben: I did, a little, when Megan and I got serious. Her parents weren't on-board with the relationship, while Dawson and Lily were less-than-thrilled with the possibility of her moving in with us. I pushed that idea off a few months, even delayed proposing until right before we were to go to Vegas on a family holiday, because I needed to back myself into a corner about marrying her, and I would have dragged it out if I didn't take the shot there to do it.

Marc: Remember when I had you meet with Dani and I in March to mediate the discussion I wanted to have with her about the future?

Wil: Yea. You said you didn't know if you'd want to get married again if Danielle passed away.

Marc: Well, I'm still there in my mind, but it's more about not trusting myself to stay faithful to Dani if we cross that line than a desire to stay single and look around. What happens if we go to the altar and then, in a year or two, I fall back into my old ways?

Dawson: That is one heck of a dilemma, Marc. Michelle I think is getting a little antsy with me not being more physical with her, which is why I wanted to set up the Christmas Mountain trip. Now that I've done it, I don't know if I can make myself step up to the plate while we're there.

Marc: Let's get Wil's issues out in the open next, because I might have something to help the both of you.

Wil: You all know Sarah is a beautiful woman for someone bordering on 6'. I can't seem to get that fact to translate into a stronger physical attraction to her, and it's causing me to have second thoughts of being with her. If a relationship could be based solely on emotions, she'd be getting a major surprise either on Christmas or New Year's Eve. Instead, I'm pushing that off because I don't know when or if that attraction might come.

Ben: Marc, you going to bring up Dani's intervention with them yesterday?

Marc: Yes. Guys, your women have been asking Dani about how to get the two of you to come after them. She's been giving them some guidance based on her experience with me, first in getting me past worrying about my dysfunction, then in connecting the emotional and physical. Advice I have is to let them bring the magic. All you have to do is be willing to share the experience with them and to respond in kind to what they make you feel. Dani and I did a primer for the two of them on Friday night, which I am guessing they watched yesterday while doing pre-Friendsgiving cooking. Now, how do I get out of my own way to eventually put a ring on it?

Wil: Talk about it. Get outside feedback on what's blocking you from wanting to marry her. Does she know about your fear?

Marc: I've brought it up a couple of times in the past, but that was before Danielle's passing.

Wil: Then you need to say it again, this time as it relates to the REAL relationship you have and not a hypothetical one.

Marc: I wrote her a letter this morning describing my nervousness and hesitation. I'm hoping it will allow us to talk out what's going on in my head before we face our families later this week.

As Dawson was laying down the last handful of silverware at everyone's place setting, the patio brigade came in with the turkey. Steph laid it on the counter, then placed aluminum foil over it and allowed the bird to rest for 30 minutes, during which the side dishes made yesterday were re-heated and rolls were baked.

**********

Standing at the head of the three-tables-pushed-end-to-end, Marc opened Friendsgiving dinner with a few words.

Marc: Thank you, everyone, for choosing to share this day with yours truly. When Ben came up with the idea of doing a Friendsgiving as a way for me to celebrate the holiday with those closest to me without taking away from everyone's plans on Thursday, I gave him a list of the people I thought made up my inner circle, which are all of you. I'd like to thank Ben's wife, Megan, for organizing everyone and leading yesterday's cooking at Dani and Michelle's place. To my surrogate daughter and her partner, celebrating this holiday with the two of you hopefully will not be a one-off. To my nephew, Matt, I guess this is your official welcome to my extended family, Get used to seeing this people around. To the rest of you, again thank you for being part of my next chapter. Lastly, to the person I hope will be beside me at this table for many years to come, I am privileged to be spending our first holiday together surrounded by so much love and support.

Dani stood up and placed a kiss upon Marc's cheek, then took his hand and said, "Now that Mr. Slick is done with his monologue, which I am surprised didn't include at least ONE pun or wayward thought, LET'S EAT!"

The platters and serving bowls made their way around the table, allowing everyone to fill their plates with whatever looked good. The conversation was lively despite being fragmented among several groups. Across from one another near the middle of the room, Julie and Matt Olson did the standard first-day-of-school questioning of each other (where are you from, what's your major, any siblings, etc.). Erin pointed out the two of them to Marc, who gave his nephew a thumbs-up.

Matt: What made you decide to come to Trinity over schools closer to home?

Julie: A few reasons. One, there was a scholarship program here that I was able to take advantage of because my dad is a rostered leader in the LCMS. Two, lacrosse. Three, I needed to get away from St. Louis and guide my own future rather than submitting to the high moral leaders' opinions of who I should be. What brought you here from Minnesota aside from your uncle being at the school?

Matt: Pretty much nothing. There were several ELCA schools in Minnesota and my mom is an adjunct professor at U of M, so I could have gotten free tuition, but I wanted to come here and use the advantage of my birth to make something of myself.

Julie: And THIS is why I'm wary of you. How do I know you're being genuine with what you say rather than your words being a means to an end?

Matt: Because my family has given me a bit of an education my first three months here. Between Uncle Marc, my two cousins-of-sorts, and Dani, they have cracked the whip when I have gotten out of line. Problem with going to school where your relatives work or go to school as well.

Julie: Don't I know it! My dad is the principal of the on-campus high school at Concordia Seminary, so EVERYONE had their eyes on me and my siblings, ready to pounce on anything we did that seemed unholy or "sinful". It's also why I'm a bit steamed at religion at the moment, because of the two-faced way people act in the church, pious on Sunday and heathens the rest of the week.

Matt: You know, when you're on your soapbox about something, there's this twitch your nose makes. It's kind of cute.

Julie was caught off-guard by Matt's compliment and had to take a sip from her water goblet.

Julie: Thanks, I think. Looking forward to seeing your family in a few days?

Matt: It's going to be weird because my clan has shrunk by half since I came back from Fall break. My mom is getting a divorce from her husband after finding out he was paying child support for someone he created before they met and didn't tell her. That could have been patched-up, but when he said he was going to attempt to relinquish his parental rights after his baby mama got married on the 30th, Mom chucked him and his two kids.

Julie: I'm so sorry. How are your mom and sister doing?

Matt: Mom seems to be fine, according to Uncle Marc, but I'm worried about Sam. With Michael and Sarah not around anymore, she's really on her own since her best friend Stephanie goes to school in a different district.

Julie heard in Matt's voice something she wasn't expecting, that being his honestly caring about someone. She realized that his concern for Sam made him capable of feeling something for her. The desserts were brought out from the kitchen and made their way around the table. Dani, Megan, and Laura had chosen to hide out in the kitchen and work on getting it clean from the day's cooking. Erin and Cali went in and helped the three of them pack away the leftovers in case people wanted to take some home. Once that was completed, people prepared to leave. After the men got the living room and family room returned to its normal set-up, Ben, Megan, Dawson, and Michelle left, followed by Sarah and Wil. Dani and Laura finished off the dishes and came out to the living room in time to watch the US and Canada come onto the field. Laura chose to head home before she got too engrossed in the match, leaving the eight people remaining (Marc, Dani, Erin, Steph, Cali, Matt Benning, Matt Olson, and Julie) to get comfortable and prepare for the 90 minutes of hell that was about to take place. Marc and Steph moved the coffee table out of the living room so people could spread out on the floor if they wished. Marc rested his back against the recliner, with Dani sitting in front of him between his legs. Erin and Steph had chosen to curl up on one side of the couch, while Cali was leaning back against her Matt in front of it. The other Matt moved down to the floor and was soon followed by Julie. The US won, 2-1, finally picking up a victory against Canada after going winless in their last four matches against them (two losses, two draws).

**********

Once the students had left, Marc handed Dani the envelope with his letter in it and asked her not to read it until she got home. The two of them took advantage of the open space in the living room to cuddle on the floor for a bit before Dani decided to head out and Marc chose to turn in.


	82. Line Of Confrontation

The Monday edition of the Trinity Times contained several stories on the aftermath of the prostitution sting, with Morgan Andringa, Tori Abrams, and Janine Beattie contributing articles. The Times also had Tori's interview with Lexi Millen on life in the business.

Tori: How did you get involved in the athletic department's alumni relations program?

Jane Doe: I came to Trinity as a bit of a rebel, fighting against my parents' plans for my life. I also somehow became saddled with pulling my boyfriend up in the world. When a teammate of mine told me about an easy way to make money that also included academic help and career guidance, I decided to check it out.

Tori: What were some of the things you did specifically?

Jane Doe: Most nights I'd be entertaining 3-4 men at one of the local hotels, providing them with things their wives or girlfriends weren't willing to do, all as a service of the athletic department in its efforts to upgrade the teams and facilities at Trinity.

Tori: Tell me what some of the benefits were that you received from the program?

Jane Doe: I could make $600 in a weekend depending on how many appointments I took and what I was willing to do with the men. I also had grades adjusted at the end of each semester to keep me eligible.

Tori: What caused you to eventually leave the business?

Jane Doe: A combination of things. I had barely made Satisfactory Academic Progress over my first year at Trinity and needed to concentrate a LOT more on my academics this Fall. I had gotten in trouble last Fall with the university for falsely accusing a staff member of sexual harassment and unwanted advances, getting me placed on credit restriction for Spring. I also had grown tired of technically being the breadwinner for my boyfriend and I. I had some support on-campus at the start of preseason that helped me walk away for good, which opened up other doors for me at Trinity in the athletic, academic, and social arenas.

Tori: Now that the program has been shut down, do you have any words of encouragement for those who were in it about life after hooking?

Jane Doe: Embrace the opportunities available at Trinity. Get involved on-campus and prioritize your academics. I was given a second chance by a number of people here after I came clean and stopped my illegal activities. Forgive yourself for your past actions and then prove to others that you have changed. It's a struggle, but you can do it.

**********

Marc's hearings for Nicole Elias and Kelsey Prescott brought forth neither contrition nor remorse. The good chaplain gave the two women's basketball players the same sanctions he had handed out originally to Allie Lerner and Carli Lowe (dismissal from one's intercollegiate athletic team, academic suspension through Spring 2020 with no grading recommendation for Fall 2019 courses). Kelsey attempted to bargain with Marc so she could graduate in May, giving him an explanation of Coach Gilbert's blind-eye approach to her players' social lives, both on the road and on home game weekends. Marc weighed the information offered against the penalty currently on the table and decided to send a recommendation for incompletes to be given for Fall 2019 while keeping in place the Spring 2020 suspension, thus allowing the player to avoid the massive hit to her GPA should she receive all F's this semester.

**********

After lunch, Marc and Jamie met in her office to go over last week's work and determine when the investigation could be wrapped up.

Jamie: Marc, I see you've passed judgment on most of the student-athletes involved in the ring. How did the two hearings this morning turn out?

Marc: Neither athlete expressed any regret over their actions. In fact, both were a little defiant about my being able to heap penalties on them that would delay graduation or slide them out of one of the Cum Laude categories. I gave both the standard penalty for their wrongful acts, which is dismissal from intercollegiate athletics and academic suspension for next semester. In an effort to get some reduction on her penalty, Kelsey Prescott divulged some anecdotal evidence of Coach Gilbert's complacency in monitoring her players' off-court activities, both at home and on the road. The information is in the transcript of her hearing for you to peruse at your leisure.

Jamie: I will have to have a conversation with Alice tomorrow, since today is an off day for women's basketball. I might need to come see you afterwards to brainstorm program-wide sanctions since it sounds like it wasn't just the athletes who were involved.

Marc: Another program you should hit hard is the cheerleading one. Five of their members were either arrested or self-disclosed involvement in the sex-for-donations racket. Women's soccer had five as well, so you could consider laying down some sanctions on their program also.

Jamie: I don't think that will be necessary, as the big fish are all gone and the culture in the program is already changing from what I can tell. Between Danielle and her team of unofficial assistants, I believe there will be adequate oversight and thus I don't need to use the bully pulpit of my position to enforce it by laying down additional penalties. As for cheerleading, what are possible options to discipline the program as a whole for the actions of a good segment of it?

Marc: As it is not a competitive sport at Trinity, there is no schedule of performances or contests for which we would need to have a team. You could suspend it for the remainder of the year, or eliminate it, or clean house and resurrect it under new management, or require stronger oversight through a member of the athletic department's supervision of it. There are several ways to go. What is your gut telling you about the program in its current state and the hope for rehabilitation?

Jamie: I think the existent make-up of athletes and coaches needs to be flushed out. Again, since they're not an intercollegiate athletic team, the benefit or detriment of cleaning house is negligible. The remaining members of the squad can operate on a club basis for Spring, allowing them to train and practice in preparation for a re-launch next Fall. The five involved in my opinion are done, barred from participation. I will contact the coaches and athletes involved after you leave and inform them of my decision to terminate their relationship with the program. Tomorrow evening, I'll attend practice and let the remainder of them know about the team being placed on suspension for the remainder of the year and the plan for its return next Fall.

Marc: Anything else you want to know?

Jamie: When do you plan to have the judicial process completed so we're able to do a presser and close the door on it?

Marc: Schedule one for next Monday. I have all the hearings I plan to hold completed, so now it's handing out the discipline and providing justification for it, which I will do while at my sister's over the Thanksgiving break.

Jamie: Sounds good. Again, thanks for your tireless work in helping me and Kara, plus countless others, put out Gavin and Sara's dumpster fire.

Marc: All part of why I'm here.

Marc departed from the athletic department offices and went back to Luther to finish up a few tasks before this evening's Christmas Eve service rehearsal.

**********

Over dinner at the Chancery, Dani and Marc discussed the contents of his letter to her.

Dani: I was a bit taken aback by your letter, as I thought things between us had progressed to the point where you wouldn't fear losing me if you made a mistake. I also wasn't aware of your entire history with Danielle and how your need to roam came to be.

Marc: What I said when we did 20 Questions in Chicago at the beginning of the year still stands in my mind. You are absolutely perfect for me, someone I should have no reservation in taking as my wife and, if luck would have it, being the mother of my children. In the 14 months or so since we had our first romp in my office, I have not slept with another woman, nor even THOUGHT about the possibility.

Dani: So what makes you afraid of us being endgame?

Marc: The notion that, should I no longer have to work to keep you interested, I will give up on being attentive to you and treating you like the princess you are. After that, whatever faults you might have become noticeable, which I just ignore and thus start the cycle of working to improve my situation. I take your commitment to me for granted, which causes us to drift, which leads me further down that road until I fall off the wagon with someone like I did with you last September.

Dani looked deep into Marc's eyes and responded to his previous statement. "I told you back in March that I didn't need the ring and the ceremony in order to pledge my life to you and accept yours to me. That still holds true. What Friday night meant to me, I can't put into words. A part of me feels like that commitment has already been made, first by you stepping forward and asking me to share my life with you, then going through the gauntlet of my family's men to assure them of your devotion to me. Before I forget, my sisters and I have put together a date night for next Saturday the 7th at Pizza Man on Downer. Liv wants to get to know you and Nicole's boyfriend better and you'll finally get a chance to meet Nicki."

Marc reached for Dani's hand and weaved his fingers between hers.

Marc: Thank you for your undying patience as I fight my worst instincts to be the man you want and need. My devotion to you is unending and I hope the next month or so will show you that. Did Laurie get in touch with you yet about the holidays and her coming to town to pick up Matt after finals?

Dani: I heard from her via email on Saturday. Haven't had a chance to respond due to the weekend's activities. I might wait until after Thanksgiving to do it in case shit gets real with Mom so we can work out how to bash some sense into her and her sister.

Marc: I'll drop her a note when I get home telling her that, so she doesn't wonder if you got it or why you hadn't responded yet. I'm hoping she'll consider bringing Sam down with her since she could probably use the love and support of you, Erin, Steph, and Cali with Michael and Sarah gone.

Dani: Oh? Problems between Will and their mom?

Marc: More like Will hiding a child from Laurie and then wanting to run from it following the mother's impending wedding, causing her to cut him loose. She took Laurie and Geoff's split hard as well.

Dani: Maybe I should give the two of them a call tonight and get the whole story, plus debate what to do about my situation with the elder ladies of my family.

Marc paid the check, then he and his beloved left and walked to her car, where the two of them took a while to say goodnight.

**********

When Jamie got onto campus on Tuesday, she went first to Human Resources to pick up from Ashley the personnel files of the school's women's basketball coaches, along with various forms of separation agreements, those covering dismissal, resignation, leave of absence, and retirement.

Ashley: Planning to clean house, or just preparing for the possibility?

Jamie: More preparation so I can move quickly if things come to a head and I need to take action. Are the job descriptions up-to-date for the head and assistant coaching positions so they can be posted to the school's Jobs At Trinity web page?

Ashley: I did that before the sting, because Marc advised me that movement in the athletic department could be fast and furious following it if coaches or other staff were found to be involved.

Jamie: I'll notify you after I meet with the coaching staff what decisions I've made so you can do your part of the process. You've known Marc for a few years, right? Is he always this on-top-of-things?

Ashley: You mean is he conscientious about everything around him? Yes. That doesn't mean he's necessarily helpful in getting tasks accomplished.

Jamie: As in?

Ashley: He is a bit of a control freak, which at times can lead to unfair criticism of those who work with him. He not only wants to control the process, he wants to control the outcome of that process. Now, since I've been at Trinity, he has become a LOT better about not taking over from his fellow sojourners if they start to falter, instead walking alongside them and offering his skills and experience as a beacon in the darkness. I think we can all thank a certain someone for changing his attitude on this matter.

Jamie: Dani?

Ashley: Yes. He can't and won't bulldog her with his vision of how she should handle her career or her coaching job, which means offering advice in a different way. She looks to him for suggestions or as a sounding board and it makes him feel useful. Now, the fact that he trusts her and loves her is also a reason why he doesn't jump in where he's not needed or wanted, which I think has influenced how he works with you, Sarah, and others around campus.

Jamie: She's a real gem and I hope I'm able to keep her here longer than a couple of years, because you know other schools will come a'calling if she's successful with rebuilding the women's soccer program from its dilapidated state. I best get on to figuring out what is going to happen with women's basketball for the near future.

Jamie left HR and went to her office on the second floor of the athletic center. After dropping her laptop bag on her desk, she went to look for Coach Gilbert, finding her in one of the locker room offices going over travel arrangements for next week and the semester break.

Jamie: Alice, we need to talk.

Alice Gilbert: If you're going to ask how I plan to replace Kelsey and Nicole after semester, I haven't thought about that yet. Been working on having everything put together for our road games next week and over break, plus preparing for tonight's contest against Lakeland.

Jamie: Actually, I'm not here about your roster. When Kelsey spoke with Deacon Schmidt yesterday, she told him that you pretty much turned a blind eye to her and Nicole's participation in the prostitution ring. Is that true?

Alice: I didn't necessarily ignore it, because I would see the aftermath of their late-night escapades at training table on Saturday mornings. I managed the situation by reducing their minutes and utilizing them to the best of their decreased abilities.

Jamie: So you were aware that they were in effect breaking the law yet chose not to bring it to anyone in administration?

Alice: I talked to Gavin about it early last season, but he told me I had to keep the two of them on the team and that I would be allowed an additional roster spot to cover for their inability to play at times. I felt that was a fair compromise and moved on.

Jamie: No inclination to bring any of this to the attention of President Garrett or Deacon Schmidt?

Alice: Look, Jamie, I just wanted to ride out the three years I had left until I reached 30 and would retire. I wasn't looking to cause myself any trouble with Gavin, and he in effect gave me his assurance that I'd be able to finish out my career without fear of being dismissed.

Jamie: Well, that wish will not come true. As of now, you are no longer in charge of the women's basketball program. Tonight's game will be postponed and your assistants will be informed of those two decisions, plus interviewed to determine which one will be placed in charge when the team returns to campus after Thanksgiving break.

Alice: You're firing me?

Jamie: Not at the moment. You will be placed on administrative leave through the weekend, with a decision about your status and that of the program to be made by Monday. I'm not going to have campus security walk you out, but it is probably best if you head home and begin your holiday weekend.

Jamie got up and departed. While walking back to her office, she texted Ashley and Marc, asking them to meet with her for lunch at Sobelman's. Ashley was quick in responding, while Marc took a few minutes to type in what he wished to tell her.

DeaconSchmidt: Any chance you might want to have Kara and Casey join us? If so, I can bring Dani along with me and we can potentially discuss both WBB and WSOC at the same time.

Jamie read over Marc's text, connected the dots linked in it, and saw the value of his reasoning to extend invites to the other three. She told him she'd take care of the two in her office if he wanted to handle inviting Dani.

**********

Jamie: I need some help thinking through what I'm going to do about women's basketball. I've put Alice on administrative leave, postponed tonight's game, and plan to interview her two assistants today in the hopes of having one of them take control of the team after the Thanksgiving break. Beyond that, I don't know what else is available to be done that won't run afoul of personnel policy or contract law.

Ashley: You can dismiss her or you can put her on leave through the end of her contract, then not renew it. She could also resign or retire.

Jamie: A leave of absence of 19 months seems pretty out-of-the-norm, even if it IS a possibility.

Marc: Let's run through a few of the options. If you dismiss her, you have to either buy out the contract or provide a severance package, because I don't think you can claim "lack of program oversight" as a justifiable cause. The leave of absence to run out her contract is too long to be seen as a legitimate sanction for her missteps. Since Ashley brought up retirement, I am guessing she is near enough to it for that to be an option.

Jamie: Yes. She told me she had planned to stay on through the end of the 2020-2021 academic year, which is 19 months, give or take.

Marc: Ashley, how could Jamie lessen the time on the LOA without bringing Alice back to the program?

Ashley: Salaried employees ALWAYS have bankable hours that can be used to technically keep them on the payroll and run out part of the length of time remaining. So there's that.

Marc: Is reassignment an option?

Ashley: In theory, yes, but it's a rare move.

Marc: Maybe down here in the III's, but in D-I, it's a viable way of getting a coach off the bench without having to do a buy-out. He or she works in another capacity at the university and is paid at the rate they were in the coaching position. It also eliminates the stipulation about having to find a new position "with all deliberate speed" to bring the severance payments to an end.

Jamie: With all the tools at your disposal, Ashley, is there a way to exhaust the 19 months remaining until she would have hung up the whistle?

Ashley: I'll have to look at her file along with Concordia's old HR manual to see whether there is a means of doing what you want.

Jamie: With a coaching change coming, two players dismissed, and a schedule that is fairly light between now and the end of the year, I'd like to postpone the team's December games so we have a little bit of time to conduct a search to fill the open positions. I'll work to clear the slate with the NACC. Kara, can either you or Casey work on finding viable places to put those games into January and the first half of February?

Kara: I think I can handle that since I'm just sitting around right now waiting for Marc to deliver the full slate of sanctions so I can prepare a response to the eventual Committee On Infractions notice.

Jamie: Basketball seems to be as set as possible until I get back to campus and can make the call to the NACC office to push off next month's games along with starting the coaching search. Now, Marc brought up the idea of talking about women's soccer as well as the five of you have been together in some way, shape, or form in the game, and it's because of the other four being around that I didn't hesitate to hand you the reins, Dani.

Dani: Right now, we're down to 14 free-and-clear on next year's roster as Makenna has told me she will be transferring at semester due to our "reneging on the promise made when I was recruited", that being the move to D-I. As for the players Sara had planned to bring in, I've emailed them with what has transpired and will contact them again after the first of the year to see where they are with coming or not. With that done, my two biggest tasks right now are scheduling for next year and building up the leadership core within the squad to spread my vision for the future of this program to their teammates. The first one, Mr. Man will be my greatest help. As for the second, I would like the rest of you to assist me, pulling from our collective playing history to lay down the foundation of trust, support, and vulnerability we had when we were teammates.

Kara: In other words, transplanting the ragamuffin gospel Marc preached from our team to yours.

Casey: I can see that taking hold with your less-extroverted or less-skilled players, as having the assurance of a role to play on the field and within the team would keep them motivated.

Marc: You might need to dig into the overarching philosophy related to the players to fill out your roster as most of the ones not yet committed to a school are probably a half-step or a step down from the women you have now.

Jamie: You had a philosophy as to how and who you recruited with MUSC?

Dani: Yes. He went after the overlooked, the underappreciated, and the ignored. The four of us here represent different parts of that phrase. I had come up through one of the big suburban clubs, so people knew my name and my game. I ended up being underappreciated by a bunch of schools because I chose to play high school soccer as well as club and several coaches thought I was "the wrong fit" for their programs, based on my physique and my more cerebral playing style in the back.

Ashley: I was in a similar state as Dani, coming up the traditional youth soccer ladder in the 'burbs. I had signed on to play at St. Norbert, but ended up losing my first two years due to knee injuries. When Marc contacted me after my first real season of college soccer, I was curious as to how he knew about me as I wasn't starting really at Norbs. When he explained his process of finding players that others didn't necessarily know existed, I joined up and recruited a couple of my teammates as well.

Casey: No one would compare me to ANY first-tier Division III soccer player. I didn't come to the game like the others around this table. I played rec a bit at School of Languages before choosing to dedicate myself sophomore year to doing more. I ended up moving on to Alverno for college, but didn't play my freshman year. One of my high school teammates joined me at the school the next year and was scouted by Marc early in the season, eventually getting an offer to join the club for that upcoming summer. I came into the fold the next year.

Kara: My story is full of twists and turns. Let's see. I was a gifted soccer and volleyball player heading into high school, but was being told I couldn't do both and advance onto a college roster. When my volleyball coach at Horlick tried to force me into a decision between the two sports, I gave up volleyball. Fast-forward to starting at Stritch. I was both a goalkeeper and a defender on the women's soccer team and played with the volleyball team for a bit as well. Marc had had a pretty big handful of players associated with the school on his 2013 squad. When it came time to build the 2014 squad, he picked up Dani and her eventual best friend/housemate Michelle, followed by another freshman and a returning player from the 2013 team. The team was in need of a second goalkeeper, which is how my name got to him by way of an alumna of Stritch who played that first season for him and was returning for this next one.

Jamie: Why did Kara call it the ragamuffin gospel?

Marc: It was the name of a book I was reading around the time when I began developing my ideas for a women's soccer organization. The concept is that God didn't come to Earth for people who had their lives in perfect order. Rather, He came for those who knew they couldn't make it on their own. Translate that to the athletic world. The players who get chased after are by and large those who don't need the sport to get where they want to go. The ones who REALLY need your attention and "love" are those who can't foresee a better life for themselves without a hand up or a wall broken down. It influenced how I built MUSC, then was the major impetus for creating the Urban Coaching Module, and is what drew me to the Diakonia program.

After a LONG lunch at Sobelman's, the six of them headed back to Trinity for the resumption of their Tuesday's tasks.

**********

Over the course of the afternoon:

* Jamie picked Marc's brain about candidates for the two planned openings on the women's basketball coaching staff. He suggested to her that she contact Pam Kucharski, who had been serving as general manager of the semi-pro Milwaukee Aces for the past three years following a long coaching career at Riverside University High School, about both the head coaching job and the vacant associate athletic director position. As for an assistant coach, he recommended Peter Zembruski, head coach at Milwaukee Pulaski High School and a current student of the Urban Coaching Institute.

* Ashley came up with a means by which Jamie could remove Alice as head women's basketball coach while still allowing her to earn service time to invoke the rule of 90 (age + years of service = 90) and retire at the end of August. She forwarded the plan onto her and then went down to UCI to offer Dani whatever assistance she would need in reinventing Trinity women's soccer and involving the current players in that process.

* Jamie made her phone calls and had SID Elly Dismore send out a press release following them with her decisions concerning women's basketball (removing Alice as head coach; dismissing assistant coach Cheryl Ryerson, thus placing assistant coach Ross Stanton temporarily in charge of the program; and postponing all games through January 5th).


	83. The End Is Near

When Jamie got onto campus on Tuesday, she went first to Human Resources to pick up from Ashley the personnel files of the school's women's basketball coaches, along with various forms of separation agreements, those covering dismissal, resignation, leave of absence, and retirement.

Ashley: Planning to clean house, or just preparing for the possibility?

Jamie: More preparation so I can move quickly if things come to a head and I need to take action. Are the job descriptions up-to-date for the head and assistant coaching positions so they can be posted to the school's Jobs At Trinity web page?

Ashley: I did that before the sting, because Marc advised me that movement in the athletic department could be fast and furious following it if coaches or other staff were found to be involved.

Jamie: I'll notify you after I meet with the coaching staff what decisions I've made so you can do your part of the process. You've known Marc for a few years, right? Is he always this on-top-of-things?

Ashley: You mean is he conscientious about everything around him? Yes. That doesn't mean he's necessarily helpful in getting tasks accomplished.

Jamie: As in?

Ashley: He is a bit of a control freak, which at times can lead to unfair criticism of those who work with him. He not only wants to control the process, he wants to control the outcome of that process. Now, since I've been at Trinity, he has become a LOT better about not taking over from his fellow sojourners if they start to falter, instead walking alongside them and offering his skills and experience as a beacon in the darkness. I think we can all thank a certain someone for changing his attitude on this matter.

Jamie: Dani?

Ashley: Yes. He can't and won't bulldog her with his vision of how she should handle her career or her coaching job, which means offering advice in a different way. She looks to him for suggestions or as a sounding board and it makes him feel useful. Now, the fact that he trusts her and loves her is also a reason why he doesn't jump in where he's not needed or wanted, which I think has influenced how he works with you, Sarah, and others around campus.

Jamie: She's a real gem and I hope I'm able to keep her here longer than a couple of years, because you know other schools will come a'calling if she's successful with rebuilding the women's soccer program from its dilapidated state. I best get on to figuring out what is going to happen with women's basketball for the near future.

Jamie left HR and went to her office on the second floor of the athletic center. After dropping her laptop bag on her desk, she went to look for Coach Gilbert, finding her in one of the locker room offices going over travel arrangements for next week and the semester break.

Jamie: Alice, we need to talk.

Alice Gilbert: If you're going to ask how I plan to replace Kelsey and Nicole after semester, I haven't thought about that yet. Been working on having everything put together for our road games next week and over break, plus preparing for tonight's contest against Lakeland.

Jamie: Actually, I'm not here about your roster. When Kelsey spoke with Deacon Schmidt yesterday, she told him that you pretty much turned a blind eye to her and Nicole's participation in the prostitution ring. Is that true?

Alice: I didn't necessarily ignore it, because I would see the aftermath of their late-night escapades at training table on Saturday mornings. I managed the situation by reducing their minutes and utilizing them to the best of their decreased abilities.

Jamie: So you were aware that they were in effect breaking the law yet chose not to bring it to anyone in administration?

Alice: I talked to Gavin about it early last season, but he told me I had to keep the two of them on the team and that I would be allowed an additional roster spot to cover for their inability to play at times. I felt that was a fair compromise and moved on.

Jamie: No inclination to bring any of this to the attention of President Garrett or Deacon Schmidt?

Alice: Look, Jamie, I just wanted to ride out the three years I had left until I reached 30 and would retire. I wasn't looking to cause myself any trouble with Gavin, and he in effect gave me his assurance that I'd be able to finish out my career without fear of being dismissed.

Jamie: Well, that wish will not come true. As of now, you are no longer in charge of the women's basketball program. Tonight's game will be postponed and your assistants will be informed of those two decisions, plus interviewed to determine which one will be placed in charge when the team returns to campus after Thanksgiving break.

Alice: You're firing me?

Jamie: Not at the moment. You will be placed on administrative leave through the weekend, with a decision about your status and that of the program to be made by Monday. I'm not going to have campus security walk you out, but it is probably best if you head home and begin your holiday weekend.

Jamie got up and departed. While walking back to her office, she texted Ashley and Marc, asking them to meet with her for lunch at Sobelman's. Ashley was quick in responding, while Marc took a few minutes to type in what he wished to tell her.

DeaconSchmidt: Any chance you might want to have Kara and Casey join us? If so, I can bring Dani along with me and we can potentially discuss both WBB and WSOC at the same time.

Jamie read over Marc's text, connected the dots linked in it, and saw the value of his reasoning to extend invites to the other three. She told him she'd take care of the two in her office if he wanted to handle inviting Dani.

**********

Jamie: I need some help thinking through what I'm going to do about women's basketball. I've put Alice on administrative leave, postponed tonight's game, and plan to interview her two assistants today in the hopes of having one of them take control of the team after the Thanksgiving break. Beyond that, I don't know what else is available to be done that won't run afoul of personnel policy or contract law.

Ashley: You can dismiss her or you can put her on leave through the end of her contract, then not renew it. She could also resign or retire.

Jamie: A leave of absence of 19 months seems pretty out-of-the-norm, even if it IS a possibility.

Marc: Let's run through a few of the options. If you dismiss her, you have to either buy out the contract or provide a severance package, because I don't think you can claim "lack of program oversight" as a justifiable cause. The leave of absence to run out her contract is too long to be seen as a legitimate sanction for her missteps. Since Ashley brought up retirement, I am guessing she is near enough to it for that to be an option.

Jamie: Yes. She told me she had planned to stay on through the end of the 2020-2021 academic year, which is 19 months, give or take.

Marc: Ashley, how could Jamie lessen the time on the LOA without bringing Alice back to the program?

Ashley: Salaried employees ALWAYS have bankable hours that can be used to technically keep them on the payroll and run out part of the length of time remaining. So there's that.

Marc: Is reassignment an option?

Ashley: In theory, yes, but it's a rare move.

Marc: Maybe down here in the III's, but in D-I, it's a viable way of getting a coach off the bench without having to do a buy-out. He or she works in another capacity at the university and is paid at the rate they were in the coaching position. It also eliminates the stipulation about having to find a new position "with all deliberate speed" to bring the severance payments to an end.

Jamie: With all the tools at your disposal, Ashley, is there a way to exhaust the 19 months remaining until she would have hung up the whistle?

Ashley: I'll have to look at her file along with Concordia's old HR manual to see whether there is a means of doing what you want.

Jamie: With a coaching change coming, two players dismissed, and a schedule that is fairly light between now and the end of the year, I'd like to postpone the team's December games so we have a little bit of time to conduct a search to fill the open positions. I'll work to clear the slate with the NACC. Kara, can either you or Casey work on finding viable places to put those games into January and the first half of February?

Kara: I think I can handle that since I'm just sitting around right now waiting for Marc to deliver the full slate of sanctions so I can prepare a response to the eventual Committee On Infractions notice.

Jamie: Basketball seems to be as set as possible until I get back to campus and can make the call to the NACC office to push off next month's games along with starting the coaching search. Now, Marc brought up the idea of talking about women's soccer as well as the five of you have been together in some way, shape, or form in the game, and it's because of the other four being around that I didn't hesitate to hand you the reins, Dani.

Dani: Right now, we're down to 14 free-and-clear on next year's roster as Makenna has told me she will be transferring at semester due to our "reneging on the promise made when I was recruited", that being the move to D-I. As for the players Sara had planned to bring in, I've emailed them with what has transpired and will contact them again after the first of the year to see where they are with coming or not. With that done, my two biggest tasks right now are scheduling for next year and building up the leadership core within the squad to spread my vision for the future of this program to their teammates. The first one, Mr. Man will be my greatest help. As for the second, I would like the rest of you to assist me, pulling from our collective playing history to lay down the foundation of trust, support, and vulnerability we had when we were teammates.

Kara: In other words, transplanting the ragamuffin gospel Marc preached from our team to yours.

Casey: I can see that taking hold with your less-extroverted or less-skilled players, as having the assurance of a role to play on the field and within the team would keep them motivated.

Marc: You might need to dig into the overarching philosophy related to the players to fill out your roster as most of the ones not yet committed to a school are probably a half-step or a step down from the women you have now.

Jamie: You had a philosophy as to how and who you recruited with MUSC?

Dani: Yes. He went after the overlooked, the underappreciated, and the ignored. The four of us here represent different parts of that phrase. I had come up through one of the big suburban clubs, so people knew my name and my game. I ended up being underappreciated by a bunch of schools because I chose to play high school soccer as well as club and several coaches thought I was "the wrong fit" for their programs, based on my physique and my more cerebral playing style in the back.

Ashley: I was in a similar state as Dani, coming up the traditional youth soccer ladder in the 'burbs. I had signed on to play at St. Norbert, but ended up losing my first two years due to knee injuries. When Marc contacted me after my first real season of college soccer, I was curious as to how he knew about me as I wasn't starting really at Norbs. When he explained his process of finding players that others didn't necessarily know existed, I joined up and recruited a couple of my teammates as well.

Casey: No one would compare me to ANY first-tier Division III soccer player. I didn't come to the game like the others around this table. I played rec a bit at School of Languages before choosing to dedicate myself sophomore year to doing more. I ended up moving on to Alverno for college, but didn't play my freshman year. One of my high school teammates joined me at the school the next year and was scouted by Marc early in the season, eventually getting an offer to join the club for that upcoming summer. I came into the fold the next year.

Kara: My story is full of twists and turns. Let's see. I was a gifted soccer and volleyball player heading into high school, but was being told I couldn't do both and advance onto a college roster. When my volleyball coach at Horlick tried to force me into a decision between the two sports, I gave up volleyball. Fast-forward to starting at Stritch. I was both a goalkeeper and a defender on the women's soccer team and played with the volleyball team for a bit as well. Marc had had a pretty big handful of players associated with the school on his 2013 squad. When it came time to build the 2014 squad, he picked up Dani and her eventual best friend/housemate Michelle, followed by another freshman and a returning player from the 2013 team. The team was in need of a second goalkeeper, which is how my name got to him by way of an alumna of Stritch who played that first season for him and was returning for this next one.

Jamie: Why did Kara call it the ragamuffin gospel?

Marc: It was the name of a book I was reading around the time when I began developing my ideas for a women's soccer organization. The concept is that God didn't come to Earth for people who had their lives in perfect order. Rather, He came for those who knew they couldn't make it on their own. Translate that to the athletic world. The players who get chased after are by and large those who don't need the sport to get where they want to go. The ones who REALLY need your attention and "love" are those who can't foresee a better life for themselves without a hand up or a wall broken down. It influenced how I built MUSC, then was the major impetus for creating the Urban Coaching Module, and is what drew me to the Diakonia program.

After a LONG lunch at Sobelman's, the six of them headed back to Trinity for the resumption of their Tuesday's tasks.

**********

Over the course of the afternoon:

* Jamie picked Marc's brain about candidates for the two planned openings on the women's basketball coaching staff. He suggested to her that she contact Pam Kucharski, who had been serving as general manager of the semi-pro Milwaukee Aces for the past three years following a long coaching career at Riverside University High School, about both the head coaching job and the vacant associate athletic director position. As for an assistant coach, he recommended Peter Zembruski, head coach at Milwaukee Pulaski High School and a current student of the Urban Coaching Institute.

* Ashley came up with a means by which Jamie could remove Alice as head women's basketball coach while still allowing her to earn service time to invoke the rule of 90 (age + years of service = 90) and retire at the end of August. She forwarded the plan onto her and then went down to UCI to offer Dani whatever assistance she would need in reinventing Trinity women's soccer and involving the current players in that process.

* Jamie made her phone calls and had SID Elly Dismore send out a press release following them with her decisions concerning women's basketball (removing Alice as head coach; dismissing assistant coach Cheryl Ryerson, thus placing assistant coach Ross Stanton temporarily in charge of the program; and postponing all games through January 5th).


	84. On The Road Again

Trinity's weekly worship service was moderately attended, with some of the regulars having already left town for Thanksgiving break and a fair number of guests in the pews. Once Alyssa's reading of the Gospel (Matthew 1:18-25) was completed, Marc began his homily.

Marc: Most if not all of us will be leaving here within the next few hours to begin our travels for Thanksgiving break. For some, that will be a short trip to another part of the greater Milwaukee area, while others face a much longer trek to their eventual destinations. In some cases, students will be bringing guests to their families' homes, be it a roommate or friend unable to see their own family for the holiday or a special someone that has captured their mind and/or heart. In other instances, people who would wish to share the holiday together will be separated, unable or unwilling to cross that bridge of introducing the other person to their parents, siblings, and other loved ones. In today's Gospel, Joseph was in a similar state as some of you might be, loving someone that he felt he couldn't "bring home" for one reason or another. In his case, his betrothed was pregnant. Whether the child was his or not, or the conception came by consent or violence, the fact remained that somehow Mary did the deed before she and Joseph had gotten to the altar. Understanding the shame that would reign down on his beloved and him should they enter Bethlehem as a couple, Joseph had decided to separate from her. Perhaps he would go on ahead to find a place where he and she could raise their child outside the view of the rest of society. Maybe the reverse would happen and he'd catch up to her once she was settled and had delivered the baby. What he knew was that they could not be seen together in her condition. We don't know what his eventual plan would have been, because an angel came to him and impressed upon the man that he should not be afraid of acknowledging Mary as his partner. Before I move onto how this one verse applies to life in the 21st century, I want to show you a short clip that I believe gets to the heart of what Joseph felt.

The projection screen came down and, a few seconds later, a scene from "Fiddler On The Roof" began playing.

Tevye: [after seeing Chava and Fyedka talking] What were you and he talking about?

Chava: Nothing. We were just talking.

Tevye: Good.

[walks away]

Chava: [chasing after Teyve] Papa! Fyedka and I... We've known each other for a long time...

Tevye: Chaveleh, I would be much happier if you remained friends from a distance. You must not forget who you are and who that man is.

Chava: He has a name, Papa.

Tevye: Of course. All creatures on Earth have a name.

Chava: Fyedka is not a creature, Papa. Fyedka is a man!

Tevye: Who says he isn't? It's just that he's a different kind of man. As the Good Book says, "Each shall seek his own kind." In other words, a bird may love a fish, but where would they build a home together?

Chava: The world is changing, Papa!

Tevye: [rounding on her] No!

[calmly]

Tevye: No. Some things do not change for us. Some things will never change.

Chava: We don't feel that way.

Tevye: We? 

Chava: Fyedka and I... We want to be married.

Tevye: What? Are you out of your mind? Don't you understand what that means, marrying outside of the faith?

Chava: But, Papa...

Tevye: I said no! Never talk about it again. Never mention his name again. Never see him again. Do you understand me?

Chava: [quietly] Yes, Papa. I understand you.

Marc: The reason I chose this scene is because it reflects my current life and that of others I know. As a person ages or moves from one stage of life to another, the outside world sets up parameters for what it considers acceptable and unacceptable partnerships, with the rules changing through the generations. At the time portrayed in this movie, women died young and sometimes in childbirth, like my dad's mom in the 1930s, so the notion of a May/December romance was accepted as a means of continuing the family line. At this time also, marrying outside your faith or "tradition" could get you cut off from your family and community, and the notion of marrying someone of a different ethnicity or of the same sex wasn't even a thought in anyone's mind. Most of you are aware that my wife passed away at the end of April. In the resulting seven months, I have wrestled with my grief and begun the next chapter of my life's story, one that I hope will include a person who understands the world in which I live and the landmines which beget partners or spouses of those in public ministry. I have the same fears as Joseph did, that I won't be able to protect the person I love from the vipers who wish to shun, abuse, shame, or humiliate her because she might not fit THEIR standard for what a pastor's wife should be. I am willing to face that fear head-on, because the reward that can be gained is SO MUCH GREATER than the risk one has to take to get it. If your person is with you tomorrow or this weekend, stand firm in what you have together even if those around you get pissy about it. If he or she isn't, acknowledge their existence and place in your life. Be like Joseph and see past your doubts to love out loud. Amen.

Following the Prayers of the People and Communion, Marc gave the Benediction and dismissed the congregation. While Cali and Alyssa took the elements back to the sacristy, several worshipers came up to the front of the sanctuary.

Gretchen Siebert: Deacon Schmidt, I believe you know these two.

Marc (to Gretchen's parents): Yes, yes I do. When Gretchen told me that both her parents had crossed my path earlier in life, I was a bit shocked the two of you had stayed together all these years. I also spilled a little about our run-ins with each other in the past.

Greg Siebert: She told me you mentioned how I swiped Elizabeth Sutcliffe out from under you in second grade and how you sort of chased Stef for a year before the new class of students arrived at Robinson.

Marc: If I had been smart, I would have set my sights on Barbara as she would have been an easier catch.

Stefani Siebert: Was today indicative of one of your regular services?

Marc: For the most part. I haven't used as much video this semester as I did last year, and there were no one-liners or puns in the sermon, but the rest was true-to-form. Brad, have either of them scared you off yet?

Brad: We haven't had much of a chance to talk.

Stefani: We don't bite...hard.

Marc: Wait a minute, I'm the one with the punchlines here! Actually, I don't think Mom or Dad will tear you apart as bad as I originally suggested. After all, they did raise a gem in Gretchen. I'm sorry to run, but I need to make sure my goofy nephew got his luggage to my car so we can leave for my sister's place in the Cities immediately after Lunch Bunch.

Greg and Stefani shook hands with Marc, then left the chapel with Gretchen and Brad. Dani had slipped back into the sacristy to help Cali with finishing off the bread and wine, which Marc walked in on. After hanging up his alb, he walked over and wrapped his arms around his gal.

Dani: Great sermon today. Any reason you chose that topic?

Marc: The passage is one from this year's Lectionary for the season of Advent. As for the subject matter, Thanksgiving is the first chance students get asked and have to answer the questions of the nosy relatives, with their persons possibly with them. It also allowed me to publicly state my fears for you and for us. I'm still in search of that angel who will tell me not to be afraid to jump the broom with you. I also wanted you to know I would be with you in spirit tomorrow when you and Cali deal with your mom and aunt.

Dani curled up tight into Marc, causing Cali to snap a quick picture of the couple for future posting. The three of them then left the sacristy and walked toward Siebert, with Marc taking a quick pass by the Luther parking lot to check for Matt's luggage (it was in the trunk), then joined the group at Lunch Bunch.

**********

Several cars were in front of Augsburg Hall waiting on students to exit. Sarah had come to pick up a handful of her players (Christen, Julie Jacobsen, Julie Koerner, Maggie, and Savannah Johnson) who would be flying out this afternoon from General Mitchell International Airport. Matt Olson and Julie Koerner talked for a couple of minutes while Sarah and others were loading one of Trinity's vans with the five lacrosse players' luggage. They each wished one another a Happy Thanksgiving and exchanged phone numbers so they could be in contact over the break. Steph Lafleur and Emily came out the front door and looked for their girlfriends' cars, which were further back on Thunder Road than Marc's. Patience being a virtue, the two of them discussed what to get their women for Christmas.

Emily: Lindsey is just so non-sentimental that coming up with something special for her is going to be difficult.

Steph: I know what I'm getting Erin and will buy it on Friday provided I can get a few minutes away from her in the mall.

Matt overheard their discussion and invited himself into the conversation.

Matt: Steph, you're a bit loco en la cabeza to go out on Black Friday. Andrew and I will probably slum around our place while our moms and sisters run around from store to store in the very early morning hours, like 3am early.

Steph: At least I have someone to buy for, bub.

Matt: We'll see about that. I gots da digits, so that's an improvement from where I stood on Sunday.

Emily: Lindsey and I will probably go to US Bank Stadium for the MSHSL Class 6A football championship game, since our two schools are playing each other. Before that, I don't know.

While the three of them were gabbing, Marc, Erin, and Lindsey made their way to their passengers. Hugs were exchanged among the six of them, then everyone loaded into their vehicles and followed one another around the perimeter of campus and out the gate on its western edge.

**********

The two Minnesota-bound cars stopped at the rest area near Lake Mills so the ladies could relieve their bladders and Marc and Matt could change seats, with the younger of the two driving through to their dinner stop in Osseo. Once back on the road, Marc began working on the order of service and message for the wedding of Ali Krieger and Steph Labbe. Sold on a specific theme and the general layout of the ceremony, he moved onto inserting some personal touches that reflected the brides' beliefs and the circumstances of the occasion. As he started jotting down notes for his homily, Matt inquired about this part of his call.

Matt: Erin and Steph set me straight about your doing weddings and how they're not as easy or "fun" as I had thought them to be. So tell me, from your side of the altar, how difficult is it to perform them when you're not usually able to meet with the couple until a day or two before it?

Marc: Surprisingly, not as hard as one would imagine. The ceremony is one of the Green Book's standard services, with the couple tweaking it to reflect their preferences. A few emails back and forth, along with a couple of phone calls, take care of nailing down the overarching logistics. Depending on how much advance time I have, other elements of the ceremony may be worked out before I arrive or can be done once I'm there.

Matt: With this wedding being on New Year's Eve, is the general theme going to be related to the starting of a new life as a married couple, to correspond to the starting of a new year?

Marc: I am planning maybe one thing that will touch on the New Year's idea, which will take a good bit of work to perfect and I don't think I'll have a chance to test it out before we go to Vancouver. The two brides are a little bit older than the typical first-time-married ones, as they are 35 and 33. Because of that, there is a lot of history to pull from in describing how the couple got to this point and how circumstances delayed the start of this wonderful relationship. That will be the focus of my message.

Matt: What happened?

Marc explained to Matt how the pair should have crossed paths at the 2012 Summer Olympics, but Ali tearing her ACL and MCL in Olympic qualifying kept her home from London, then laid out the timeline from when the two of them teamed together with the Washington Spirit to when they started dating each other.

Marc: I've met them on more than one occasion and they are SO DANG CUTE together even at their slightly-advanced ages. Given that they already know Erin and Steph, this wedding should be a bit of a breeze.

Snow began to fall as Matt and Marc passed Tomah, which allowed Lindsey and Emily to catch up to them and the two vehicles rode in tandem to Osseo, where they had dinner with several members of Danielle's family (Brenda, Sydney, Alan, and Jeanette) at the Norske Nook before getting back on the road for the rest of the drive up to the Twin Cities.

**********

After settling in at Laurie's and catching up with her and Sam, Marc booted up his laptop and Skyped Dani.

Dani: I see you have made it to your sister's. How was the drive?

Marc: Hit snow when we passed Tomah, but Matt handled it well.

Dani: You had him drive?

Marc: Yes, because I wanted to use the time to work on Ali and Steph's wedding ceremony and my homily therein. We didn't really get to talk before I left campus. Are you prepared for tomorrow?

Dani: I think so. Biggest worry I have is not having the nerve to torch them when they lay into you or me. How have you been able to take people down left and right when you're in the mood to do it?

Marc: By letting them get a few shots in before responding. It gives me time to seethe and stew a bit, which allows the anger or rage to overwhelm any other emotion I have. With the conflicting emotions gone, I am able to keep myself reasonably calm until I choose to unleash it on the other person or people. That calm comes across as being cold, unfeeling, callous, which explains why I'm a bit of a silent assassin. I act insulted and display contempt for the questioner. Remember how I defended us against Suzanne?

Dani: By going Socratic Method on her, asking her why her criticism mattered. She spouted off a bit of nonsense and you had others at the table get the fight going before you came in and slashed her tires.

Marc: Correct. I had backing to go off on her which allowed me to pick the barbs I wanted to send her way with no second thought about how it would come across. You'll have that kind of backing tomorrow between your dad, Steve, Angela, Olivia, and perhaps their husbands. If they back you, they'll jump in and try to shut down the conversation, giving you the time you need to ruminate and allow the anger to rise.

Dani: Advice on how to get myself to that point?

Marc: Usually, you have to be pretty quick on your feet to get off a good response to the original snipe. In this case, you have a bit of an idea what one or both of them will say and can rehearse in your head a way to confront it. Think about how you want to go after them, what "fighting words" you want to use to either quash their attack on you or escalate the fight to a higher level. The scathing response I gave to what happened at the Reformation Day dinner, that's a good example of a cold, contemptuous, bloodless dissection of one's critics. Another one is the take-down on the Board of Trustees last November. I hope you won't have to resort to that.

Dani: I will do exactly as you said in your sermon today. I will stand up for you and for us, even if it means walking away from the situation. I should let you get some sleep after all that's transpired today.

Marc: Don't fret too hard about tomorrow. I love you, princess, and am with you wherever you go. If you can, give me an update after you get home from Steve and Judy's so I know how it went.

Dani: Will do, and I love you too, hubs.

Marc hung up, then powered down his laptop and headed to the guest room on the first floor to turn in for the night.


	85. From Sea To Shining Sea

The early morning sun was just cresting over Camelback Mountain as Julie and Christen headed toward it for an early-morning hike on this Thanksgiving Day. After parking and stretching out, the pair began their 2.5 mile round trip. Once they were a sufficient distance away from the start of the trail, Julie asked Christen a personal question.

Julie: What are we, Chrissy?

Christen: We're roommates, we're girlfriends, we're teammates.

Julie: Yeah, but we've been all of those for more than a year now. I'd like us to be more.

Christen: There isn't a whole lot more we can become without talking about china patterns and upholstery and paint swatches.

Julie: Is that something you see us doing in the near future?

Christen: If we had met three years from now, I'd be on my knee already. I want to go the distance with you. Just that we're 19 and not really at a point where the next steps are so easy to take.

Julie: I guess I forget about that part. Despite the closeness we have and the love we share, we're both not in any position to go to the next plateau.

The two reached the trail's summit and looked out over the city of Phoenix. Christen stood behind Julie with her arms around her waist and took in the beauty both in front of her and in her arms.

Christen: I'm thinking....when do you plan to return to Milwaukee after winter break?

Julie: Classes start on the 13th. Could probably fly back the 5th and we'd have a week together before Spring semester and practice begin. What's on your mind, babe?

Christen: If you come back early, we could do a belated Christmas and New Year's Eve during that week. Move our relationship another step closer to where we ultimately want it to end up.

Julie: The first thing seems relatively easy, just get gifts and hang around the still-up tree. The other, how do you plan to put that together?

Christen: I have my ways. Let's just leave it at that for the moment.

Julie turned around and rested her hands on the back of Christen's neck. After several seconds looking into one another's eyes, they moved their heads forward and exchanged a deep and loving kiss. The hike back down went quickly, with the two of them holding hands the entire way.

**********

The McNamaras were hosting the Muellers for this year's Thanksgiving celebration of the two families. With Steph, Kristie, and Sam back to being close, the conversation around the table was lively and jovial.

Kristie (to Steph): How did your date with Tori go?

Steph: The banquet was great. Coach had our team come up to the front of the room after receiving her award from the GAA for Athletic Department Ally of the Year. Afterwards, you'll have to wait until we're alone to hear about that.

Sam: So our lovable Hoodrat had a Marvin Gaye moment?

Steph laughed at Sam before responding. "You could say that. Glad we had her room to ourselves when I walked her home."

Gina McNamara: So you might have a new girlfriend, Stephanie?

Steph: Possibly. We haven't had any sort of heart-to-heart to figure out what each of us is thinking about the other, but the chemistry is quite good and we're both fairly forward in that respect.

Bob Mueller: Where are my daughters with the twins at the moment?

Kristie: Alyssa and I are cruising along. No real highs, no real lows.

Sam: Same is more or less true for Amanda and I, but I know there is going to be some decision-making coming around Spring Break.

Melissa Mueller: Why's that?

Sam: Alyssa, Amanda, and I are all going to be entering our senior years following that semester, with registration beginning shortly after returning from break. When will Amanda student-teach, what's Alyssa's plan for seminary, and how do Kristie and I factor into that?

Steph: I'll be in a similar boat. Do I set myself up to go on for an MBA or take courses that make me more marketable coming out in May 2021? Whereas there's a one-year gap between you two and the twins' academic plans, there are two years between Tori and I. If things progress between us, I'll have to have the same conversation with her as the two of you, Alyssa, and Amanda will with each other.

Gina: How is the lacrosse season shaping up?

Sam: Lauren and I have been trying to keep the good vibes going with the team during this semester so we head into the season with solid chemistry and no hidden issues like last year.

Steph: Won't hurt that our resident thorn-in-the-side seems to have gotten with someone else at Trinity, so we're not dealing with her chasing Steph around.

Kristie: Thank God!

Bob: What's the plan for coming home for winter break?

Sam: My last final is at 10am on the 12th.

Steph: I have an all-sections final on the 12th at 4:30pm.

Kristie: My last exam is the 11th, but I'll have portfolios for two of my education classes to complete by 1pm on the 13th.

Melissa: If Gina and I come up to get you, when should we plan to arrive so it's a pretty quick exit?

Sam thought through the options. "Two plus two, carry the fiiiiiive.......2:30 on the 13th."

Steph's brothers, Jimmy and Mike, reloaded their plates just as Gina and Melissa began to clear the table, leaving them alone in the dining room while the others either helped with clean-up in the kitchen or went to the couch to watch the Cowboys/Eagles game.

**********

Following the Lions' craptastic performance against the Chargers (a 38-7 loss), the Mathesons and Steph Lafleur settled in at the dining room table for their holiday meal.

Val: How are the two of you working winter break with the wedding in the middle of it?

Erin: Come here for a couple of days following exams, then go to Kitchener for several days, with me coming back in time for Christmas Eve. Steph will come here on Boxing Day and we'll leave for Chicago the next day. Once we return on the 3rd, we'll be here for a few days, then leave for Milwaukee either the 9th or 10th depending on if Marc schedules something for us peer ministers on that Friday or not.

Jim: Just you two and Marc on the trip to Vancouver?

Steph: No. Dani will be coming with us. With the two of them planning to go public at the university's holiday party, Bishop Emerson has acknowledged their relationship and said that she will be viewed similar to Danielle the First when it comes to Marc's out-of-synod events.

Val: I saw the pictures the two of you reposted from her Instagram account with her "coming out" to her friends, family, and others about him. What are you seeing and should I be worried about her becoming a greater influence in your lives?

Erin: What you didn't see in those pictures was what happened the day before he asked her to become his person. She and Cali came over to the house after leaving their family's celebration of her birthday in pretty rocky shape, because their moms had started to get nosy and pushy with them concerning Marc and her. The two of us, Marc, and one of the new members of our crew allowed them to pour out their thoughts and emotions, then Marc and Dani went back into his office and replayed the moment when Steph and I knew they were endgame, their first slow dance at Becca and EJ's wedding.

Steph: As for her "influence" over us, she is really like an older sister to the two of us and Cali rather than a pseudo stepmom. We can't love her any more than we do, and we love what she has done for XP.

Jim: XP?

Steph: Expansion Pack, like a software add-on to the regular dad program in our emotional hardware.

After dinner was finished, Val and Steph went into the kitchen to do the dishes while Jim and Erin watched a replay of the National Dog Show from their DVR. Around 5:00, Erin got a text from Dani.

DaniPDillon: On my way to Steve and Judy's. Advice on how to channel Marc in case the ladies get to sniping?

Erin asked the other three for suggestions. After pulling ideas from them, she sent a response to her.

EDMatheson17: Think tennis. Keep the ball in play, let them get all lathered-up about not making you melt, then charge the net and HULK SMASH! Love you, girl, and Steph and I are behind you if you have to take down Judy and your mom.

Val: Why did you need advice on how to go Mad Dog on someone?

Steph: Dani is still having trouble with her mom and Cali's mom accepting the reality of her and Marc being a couple. Who knows what the women have planned for them tonight, but the sisters got together for lunch last week to talk out how to keep them off all of their backs.

When the dishes were completed, Val and Steph came out to the living room and sat down next to their beloveds. Val leaned against Jim and Erin against Steph as they watched the remainder of the dog show before going to catch a few hours' sleep in anticipation of starting Black Friday shopping at 4am.

**********

Jessie had gone home with Becca to Ottawa for Thanksgiving break, finally meeting her family face-to-face. Becca's parents, Bill and Linda, were very accepting of their daughter's new girlfriend, as were her sisters. Following dinner, the pair went into Becca's bedroom and had a talk about "them".

Becca: We've been sort-of dating now for a couple of months. How are you feeling about it?

Jessie: The friendship/relationship aspect of it seems fine, but I'm not feeling the thump-thump-thump that I thought you were supposed to feel when you really liked or loved someone.

Becca: I'm not sure every relationship works that way. Some, like Erin and Steph, just explode with passion. Others, like Lindsey and Emily or Maggie and Savannah, are more of a hand-in-hand partnership.

Jessie: I'm missing a bit of the good vibes I was getting from fooling around with Steph and Erin last year, and we haven't done much on the physical front yet. I know I'm not ultra-hot and thus you might not be out-of-your-mind horny when we're together, but I'd like to FEEL something. I'd like to feel YOU.

Becca thought about Jessie's request and searched herself for the right words or actions for this moment.

Becca: I wasn't aware of your situation with those two. I've been trying to not pressure you into anything because I thought you hadn't had much experience in that area. If you want to have a roll, we can do it either this weekend if we are able to get some alone time or when we return to school.

Jessie: Take me on a date next weekend and we go from there?

Becca: You've got it.

Jessie moved closer to Becca and sunk into her arms. She then rose up a little and pecked her gal on the lips, which Becca reciprocated and deepened a little. The two spent several minutes working on this part of their physical connection before moving into a comfortable position for the pair to cuddle, with Becca running her fingers through Jessie's hair.

**********

The Abrams triplets spent their Thanksgiving dinner being grilled by their parents, brother Luke, and sister-in-law Liz about the ups-and-downs of their love lives at school.

Jackie Abrams (to Tori, Cameron, and Billy): You've been at Trinity three months or so now. Anyone strike your fancy yet?

Tori: Last weekend, I went to the Gay Athletes Association's banquet with a junior on the women's lacrosse team. Steph and I had been flirting with each other for a few weeks as a result of my floormates' "Truth or Dare" games. We're not really together yet, but I don't think I'll be coming home for Christmas unattached if you catch my drift.

Billy: I'm probably doing the worst of us three. I've been out a couple of times with Steph's roommate, a freshman lacrosse player. Nothing's happened yet, really, so I don't really know where to go from here. Not like Cam over there, latching onto one of the hottest athletes on campus.

Larry Abrams: Is this true, son?

Cam: Depends how you define hot and latching onto. Yeah, Lexi can probably set off a few smoke alarms, which made me wonder why she'd agree to first go with me to the Homecoming dance, then ask me out after that for Sweetest Day. She's still recovering from a bad break-up that happened just before school started, so we're not giving our relationship any sort of label at the moment.

Jackie: Very wise, Cameron. What sport does she play?

Cam: Soccer. She scored 17 goals this past season and was second-team All-NACC.

Luke: So you're hitting pretty high up the athletic ladder.

Cam: That part doesn't really mean much to me. Sure, it's great to be with someone like her, but in the end, it's about what's on the inside that determines if you're compatible or not.

Liz: I know you're not learning that kind of thinking from your womb mates, so where are you getting your education on women and life?

Cam: On women, our school's chaplain. On life, him and Matt Lasalle.

Larry: So you getting into religion, then? And what does the school chaplain know about women?!

Cam: Enough to have a girlfriend who works at Trinity and is more than 20 years younger than him.

Tori: Legit?!

Cam: It's obvious that him and Coach Dillon are together.

Billy: She's a babe for someone built like that.

Jackie: Billy! I'm not sure that's the right way to refer to a member of your school's staff.

Billy: Sorry, Mom.

Jackie: Are any of you planning to come with me Black Friday shopping tomorrow?

Liz: I'm in.

Tori: Yep.

Cam: Probably should as it's the best chance to find something to give Lexi for Christmas.

LADIES: Awwwwww.

Jackie: I'm planning to be at Fox River by 5am, which means leaving here at 4.

Liz: Guess that means Luke and I should head home so I can sleep some before coming back here.

Tori: Ditto.

Tori helped Jackie with the dishes, then went to her room to get some shut-eye ahead of tomorrow's shopping feast.

**********

Marc, Laurie, and Becca Warsame were sitting around the dining room table following clean-up from dinner (Becca ALWAYS does the dishes at Laurie's following a joint dinner of their families) talking about the kids and the Schmidt men's forays into the dating pool.

Marc: How is Sam handling the loss of Michael and Sarah?

Laurie: It's been really hard since Stephanie and her don't see each other as often as they did before Matt went down to Trinity.

Becca: The two of us need to fix that somehow, as I think Stephanie is also reeling a little from Sarah's absence.

Laurie: We'll have the two of them with us tomorrow on the Black Friday circuit, so hopefully us doting on them some will help.

Becca: Any new developments with Dani?

Marc: Her mom and aunt have been sitting in silent judgment of her concerning our relationship. She is supposed to go buck-wild crazy on them tonight if they get after her.

Laurie: Speaking of her, she called on Monday night and we put together some plans for when I go down to pick up Matt after finals.

Marc: She was planning to do it after this weekend because of the potential for fireworks this evening, but changed her mind after she heard about the situation here and my and Matt's worries about Sam.

Laurie: She said that I should bring Sam with me so she could get some second family good vibes from her, Erin, Steph, and Cali.

Marc: There might be an add-on to that if your son can get something done in the next ten days or so. The teammate of Erin and Steph's I told you about, she and him seem to be getting along well. As for the cred that she's running from, she's sort of a PK in that her dad is the principal of Concordia Seminary's on-campus high school. The other part is that one of her sisters is married to a pitcher from the Washington Nationals.

Laurie: I'll let him tell me when he's ready.

Marc felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He pulled it out and read the message.

CaliFarmia: All hell broke loose. One of us will update you later. On the road at the moment heading for Southridge. Pass word to Laurie.

Marc: Well, the doodookaka has hit the proverbial fan. That was Cali telling me something went down. Either her or Dani will get in touch with me later with more details. Guess the intervention is now a must.

Laurie: No kidding. When you text back, tell her I'll call Dani tomorrow and get the blow-by-blow so a planned course of attack can be devised by the two of us, which we'll share with the three of them before I come down.

Marc sent Cali a response asking her to tell Dani to Skype him when she finally gets home: "I'll wait up for her." and suggested she contact Matt to get some support for herself. She sent back her cousin's response to his last message.

CaliFarmia: "Dani: John 15:13, Ruth 1:16-17, 1 John 4:18a. XOXOXO"

Marc showed the response to the two women and explained the verses mentioned, which drew smiles from the pair of them. Becca called down to the basement to Andrew and Stephanie and told them they were leaving. Once the three of them had left, Laurie retired to her room and Marc settled in to wait for his partner's phone call.


	86. Carving The Turkey

Dani: I waited until Matt had picked up Cali to call you. Hope I didn't make you wait too long.

Marc: I said I'd wait up for you and I wasn't going to back away from that. Glad Cali took my suggestion to call him and get herself some love and support as well. Take a couple deep breaths, darling, then tell me how all of this went down.

Dani worked to bring her emotions into check before divulging how the eventual torching of her mother and aunt came to be.

===========Flashback to earlier this evening===========

Dinner at the Farmers' home had gotten off to a reasonably good start, with no underhanded sniping from the mothers. All of that changed once Olivia brought up a change in plans for Christmas Day.

Olivia: With me having Christmas Eve and Christmas Day off this year, I asked Angela if I could host Christmas this year, since it's such a rarity that nurses get both days off. She's good with it and I'll work with her to put together a day that I hope everyone will enjoy.

Theresa: Seems reasonable. Hopefully this will be the last Christmas with only Courtney and Dylan among us.

The two married Dillon sisters bit their tongues over their mom's desire for one or both of them to give her another grandchild. After a few moments of silence, Nicole took up their defense.

Nicole: Mom, that is a decision to be made by my sisters and their husbands.

Theresa: I'm just saying that Angela's not getting any younger, so if she is going to have a third, she best get to it.

Shawn grumbled a bit as well over Theresa's pressure for him and Olivia to start a family, but chose not to fire away on his mother-in-law.

Cali: Deuce, Erin told me before she left for home about the wedding on New Year's Eve. What is your schedule going to be for winter break with that in play?

Dani: I'll be in Minnesota the 20th-23rd, home the 24th-26th, leave for Chicago the 27th, fly to Vancouver the 28th and return January 3rd. Haven't decided if we'll stay over in Chicago or drive back that afternoon.

{Brent:} Another high-profile gig for Marc?

Dani: Yes. He got the request for this one at the Philadelphia wedding on Valentine's Day. The couple is a little older and thus has a bit more history for him to pull from for the homily and gags within the ceremony, so the process of putting together the components of the service has been relatively easy.

{Brent:} With the wedding in Vancouver, I take it at least one member of the couple is from there.

Dani: Actually, no. A big group of former Canadian National Team players holds a New Year's Eve party in Vancouver because a fair number of them are from the area. Last year, two of the players got married in conjunction with the event, which is what led these two to choose that night this year. It's a bit of a destination wedding, which is why the four of us are going a little early and staying a couple of days afterwards so he can play sports junkie tour guide for us, with BC Place, where the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics and the final of the 2015 Women's World Cup were held, the place where the cauldron from Vancouver 2010 stood, and other remnants of the Games on the potential itinerary.

[Judy:] Sounds lovely. Just wish you didn't have to be gone so long. You know your niece and nephew miss you and would love to spend time with you while you're on winter break.

Theresa: That's what, two weeks away minus the couple of days you're back here for Christmas?

Dani: Yes. Next year should be different, especially if Trinity, UWM, and Marquette end up hosting the Lutheran Student Movement National Gathering. Speaking of that, Cali, any news yet from them?

Cali: No, and time is running short for us to find at least one or two of us to go to Chicago for this year's event should we need to do a presentation before the National Council.

Angela: Have any of you decided on an outfit yet for next Saturday's sisters date?

Olivia: No, since I usually wear either scrubs or the most comfortable lounge-around clothes I can find. I have a couple of possibilities in the closet, but I might want to get something else.

Angela: I've got a pretty standard look picked out. Nothing too shocking, but a lot dressier than what I wear at work and around town.

Nicole: Debating between a couple. Weather forecast might play a factor as one would look great with or without tights, while the other is more suited to bare legs.

Dani: I have a lot of choices. Just need to decide how much I want to floor you three and the guys.

Olivia: Hey now, no trying to steal our men!

Dani: Wouldn't dream of it since I already have Prince Charming.

Angela: True on that.

[Judy:] So he has the rest of you duped as well? That's just great!

Dani: None of us are being taken for a joy ride, if that's what you're insinuating.

Theresa: Danielle, I thought your father and I had raised you to be smarter than this, falling in love with an older man, one who is your boss right now, at least in some form.

Dennis and Steve tried to smooth over the biting remarks their wives were laying out, but Theresa would not shut up.

Theresa: Do you honestly think he's going to be there for you in three, five, ten years?! He'll have moved on to another 20-something who he can mesmerize and con out of their youth. Get it through your head, girl, that you are going to get seriously hurt if you don't put an end to your foolish way of thinking and find a person closer to your own age and experience. By the way, if you keep moving up the scale like it looks as though you are, he'll drop you like a bad habit.

Dani stood up at the table and delivered the most heated and eloquent defense of her partner imaginable.

Dani: YOU listen HERE! In not so many words, you have called me stupid, naive, and crazy, and even attempted to fat-shame me! No more! Marc David Schmidt is the most caring, loving, supportive, good-for-me person I've ever known. Yes, he has a few years on me in the life experience department, but in my opinion that's a GOOD thing! You can either keep your backbiting to yourself, or you can finally accept that I have found love with a person who makes me happier than I have ever been. You know what, I'm not even going to debate this with you any longer. I'm out!

Dani apologized to the others for her abrupt exit, then grabbed her coat and purse and walked out the front door. Cali whispered something to Olivia, who passed on the message to Shawn. Then, the two of them got up and left as well, hoping that Dani hadn't driven off yet.

Out in her car, Dani hit her head against the steering wheel a couple of times while attempting to come down from the rage storm she unloaded. Cali's knocking on the passenger side window brought her back to the here-and-now. She unlocked the doors and Cali and Olivia climbed in.

Olivia: Let's go. Get away from here a bit. I told Shawn I'd update him when we had finally settled in somewhere.

Dani: Any suggestions?

Olivia: Southridge. A little retail therapy and food court food never hurt anyone.

Cali: Agreed.

Everyone buckled up and Dani put the car in drive, then pulled away from the curb and started the short trip to Southridge Mall.

===========End of flashback===========

Dani: The three of us went looking for new clothes for the upcoming holiday party season, since I found out the dress I had planned to take to Vancouver is a little too snug right now. Liv needed to get an outfit for next Saturday's sisters-and-guys date. We chowed down on some food court junk and talked among ourselves until Shawn arrived. At that point, he and Liv went home, and Cali and I went back to my place so she could meet up with Matt. Don't know how long they'll be out together, but she has a key to the place so she can let herself in when she gets back.

Marc: Give me a second. I'm going to bring my laptop into the guest room so I'm not keeping the dining room lights on.

Dani: I'll take mine back to my room so it is easier for me to go to bed after we hang up.

The two of them moved to their beds and resumed their conversation once settled.

Marc: Why did you choose to send me those three verses by way of Cali?

Dani: Because they represented where my mind and heart were in the midst of that fight. I'd gladly follow you anywhere, for you are home for me. The love I have for you allowed me to stand toe-to-toe with her and not be afraid of what she might say. Dad and Uncle Steve were trying to get the two of them to back off, which in that moment didn't happen. I hope they tore into them after everyone left. Everyone aside from those two either like you outright or like you because of what you do for me.

Marc: And you have my entire family won over. They see the undeniable connection we have, the palpable love that exists between us. I never thought we'd be this close so quickly, but it's happened. I can't wait to have you in my arms again and tell you over and over how much I love you and how happy you make me.

Dani: That goes double for me, sweetheart.

Marc looked as though he was drifting off, which caused Dani to ask him if he needed to go to bed.

Marc: Only if you join me. Keep the call open and we can sort of sleep together.

Dani: I would love to.

The two got out of their street clothes and into comfortable sleeping clothes. They set up their laptops so they rested on the pillows opposite them, as though each of them were next to the other.

Marc: Sleep well, my princess. I love you now and forever.

Dani: You too, owner of my heart. Would you think it weird if I chose to rub one out before I fall asleep?

Marc: Not at all. Have done that many a time to tire myself out.

Dani rolled onto her back and quickly went after the tension-relieving orgasm she needed to have. Marc whispered loving thoughts to her, which made the release all the more intense when it came. After exchanging a virtual goodnight kiss, the two of them got nestled in and fell to sleep, under the gaze of their beloved.


	87. Giving And Receiving

A quiet and almost empty house greeted Marc when he woke up at 7am. Laurie and Sam had gone out with Becca and Stephanie to hit the Black Friday sales along Century Ave NE and at the Northtown Mall. Matt was still asleep in the basement, which meant there were no distractions for Marc as he worked on completing the adjudication of the student-athletes involved in Trinity's alumni relations program/prostitution ring.

At 10:00, Marc's phone chimed. After seeing that a Milwaukee-area number was calling him, he answered.

Marc: Deacon Schmidt.

Christen: Marc, it's Christen Prince.

Marc: CP! How are you enjoying Phoenix?

Christen: It's really warm, but not sweltering. I'm calling because I need a little help with something I want to do for Julie. She's planning to come back to Milwaukee on January 5th and I told her we could do belated Christmas and New Year's Eve over that week since we'll still be on winter break. Any idea what's going on in the city that might make for a satisfactory date on January 10th?

Marc scanned through his bookmarked page of Milwaukee events and informed Christen of what he had found.

Marc: Symphony is the following weekend, Broadway production is the week before that, Gallery Night and Day is the following weekend as well. This sucks, sort of.

Christen: When do you get back from Vancouver?

Marc: Either the 3rd or 4th, depending on if I want to drive back from Chicago at night or not.

Christen: I might have an idea, but I'd need a place to do it. Would you be willing to host a small house party to celebrate the new year, sort of a second chance to do the whole shebang for those of us who weren't able to be with our persons on that night, like me and Julie or Kelley and Lauren?

Marc: Or Matt and Julie Koerner if he were to get some kind of traction with her before the end of finals.

Christen: Serious about those two?

Marc: He asked me to help him break the ice, so I passed it off to Erin and Steph since she lives on the same floor as all of you. Whether he can actually make something happen in the next two weeks is the big question.

Christen: So, will you do it?

Marc: I like the idea. We were able to get 15 into my place for Friendsgiving on Sunday and had 20 or so for the Olympic qualifying semifinals last week. Not sure we'd be able to get that many in there for something like what you're describing, but I have a thought about how to do this if there's sufficient interest in it. I'll bat it around in my head while I'm up here and present it to you and the rest at the PMA meeting on Monday.

Christen: Look forward to hearing about what you might have up your sleeve. Take care and thank you so much for your ear and your brain power.

Marc: Take care, Chris.

Following the call, Marc went back to his paperwork and finished documenting the students' sanctions just after 11.

**********

Emma and Savannah decided to go to Mayfair for their Black Friday shopping adventure. On the way, Emma called Hayley and asked if she and Sam wanted to meet the two of them there. She replied in the affirmative, then walked across the street and, after getting past her mom at the front door, went to wake up her girlfriend.

Hayley: Sleepyhead, time to get up! Emma and Savannah want us to meet them at Mayfair. Either you get up on your own or I'll have to drag you out of bed.

Sam: Can I get a few minutes of cuddle time with my bae?

Hayley laid down next to Sam, then scooted over and placed her head against her neck. "Ten minutes, then you need to get moving."

Sam: What did Mom say when you came over?

Hayley: Just that you were still asleep, but that I could probably get you to wake up.

Sam: Can't even sleep in on my Thanksgiving break!

Hayley: Nope. Ten minutes is up.

Sam reluctantly rolled out of bed, then took a quick shower before getting dressed. She and Hayley grabbed a couple of fruit bars from the kitchen to tide them over until lunch, then left to meet their friends. While driving, Sam got a text from Christen, which Hayley read to her.

CP23: Trying to plan something special for Julie the Friday before we start classes again. Any ideas?

The two of them racked their brains as they drove up Mayfair Road toward the mall.

Hayley: I'm stumped. I'm sure she's trying to make up for the fact they won't be together over the holidays, but how do you do a belated celebration a week or two after Christmas that still feels like the holiday?

Sam: Good question. Christmas would be just gift-giving at that point. Making up for New Year's Eve is almost an impossibility. Send her back a suggestion to take her out to dinner at Ristorante Bartolotta in Tosa Village and do it up a bit on the clothing front.

Hayley typed back to Christen what Sam said, sending the message as the car was being parked in the parking garage next to Nordstrom. The two of them went into the department store and took the escalator up to the first floor, then walked out into the mall proper. Hayley texted Emma to find out where they were and met up with the pair outside Barnes and Noble. As they window-shopped, the four of them chatted about their Thanksgiving Day celebrations. Hayley told Emma and Savannah about Christen's dilemma and asked if they had any suggestions for her.

Savannah: If she were coming back earlier, I'd recommend dinner and "Rent" at the Marcus Center, but that only runs through the 5th.

Emma: At least you and I will be together on New Year's Eve and can ring in the new year as a couple.

Sam sent Christen another text with Savannah's idea. When the two couples passed Charlotte Russe, Savannah took an immediate right turn into the store and began looking at the holiday dress section. The other three dug through the racks as well, then asked each other for opinions on what they had found. Savannah found a dress that fit her natural style and showed off her toned legs, but the others weren't as lucky. After lunch in the upstairs food court, they continued working their way through the mall, popping in and out of stores in search of Christmas gifts and little things for themselves. 

Emma (to Sam): This will be the 12th Christmas Savannah and I will have shared in some part, and our fourth as a couple. I'm having trouble thinking of what to get her, since I've already done most of the jewelry gifts in past years. I want to select something that signifies our longevity and my desire for the future.

Sam: Do you think she's the one?

Emma: I know she is. No doubt in my mind.

Sam: Then go that route. Not necessarily the big rock at the moment, but something that can serve as a placeholder for the next couple of years.

Emma: Thanks for the advice. What are you thinking about for Hayley, since this is your first as girlfriends?

Sam: Locket with a picture from graduation on one side and the selfie she took of us before we left our room for the All-Sports Mixer on the other.

Emma: Very sentimental. I'm sure she'll love it.

Savannah and Hayley eventually caught up with their girls and after a little more browsing, they left Mayfair and headed home.

**********

Kailen was at East Towne Mall with her mom and older sister, hoping to have a chance to tell the two of them about Shelley as well as pick Mom's brain about Deacon Schmidt.

Teri Short: Avery, are you planning to come with me to Milwaukee next week?

Avery Short: I have classes on Thursday and Friday. Besides, you'll be in meetings and stuff most of the day Thursday.

Teri: I'm sure Kailen wouldn't mind having you up at Trinity with her while I'm doing that. Then, we can go to dinner with Aunt Anita before attending the lecture.

Avery: I think I'll pass.

Kailen: Are you planning to stay in Milwaukee overnight Thursday or not?

Teri: Hadn't thought that far ahead. Any reason you're wondering?

Kailen: Friday is Dead Day at Trinity and I was hoping we could spend some time together. I'd also like you to meet Shelley at some point as well.

Avery: Sis got herself a girlfriend?!

Kailen: Yes. She's a sophomore, plays lacrosse, and lives maybe 10 minutes away from Aunt Anita in Whitefish Bay. She also commutes.

Teri: I think spending time with you and grilling this lady of yours would be a Friday well-spent.

Kailen: Trinity's chaplain, who's sort of responsible for getting Shelley and I to cross paths, says you need to come see him when you're in town next. Told me you and him went to Riverside together and were both in marching band. He also mentioned that you and several members of the flute section tried out for gymnastics one year, which I don't necessarily believe.

Teri: It's true. Two of the other three flutes were on the Swim team, the third played Volleyball, and they sort of pushed me into joining Gymnastics with them. Anyways, who's your school's high holy man?

Kailen: Marc Schmidt.

Teri: Marc?!?!

Kailen: I guess your response confirms you know him.

Teri: Yes. Like he told you, we were both in Riverside's marching and concert bands and had a few classes together in our four years there. I haven't seen him in a good while. Probably last time was at the Zimmer Lecture a few years ago.

Avery (to Teri): That is just too weird, that Kailen would be going to school at Trinity and come across one of your Riverside classmates. Anything happen between the two of you?

Teri: God, no! He was extremely shy, so even if he thought I was something special, he would never have approached me to say so. He was also smart as hell, which is how we became friends despite running in completely different social circles.

The three Short women went into Express so Avery and Kailen could look for dresses for the Zimmer family's Christmas Eve gathering at Teri's father's house in Milwaukee. Both were able to find suitable and cute outfits and picked them up. Their next stop was Foot Locker because Kailen needed a new pair of running shoes for use on the indoor track in Buuck. After taking care of that important purchase, the three of them checked out the sales at Bath and Body Works, picking up some essentials in their favorite scents.

On the drive home, Kailen asked her mom if she had any good stories about Deacon Schmidt from their time in school together.

Teri: Freshman year, he tried out for the school's production of "Oklahoma". Showing you how out of his element he was, he chose "You Give Love A Bad Name" for his vocal audition. Suffice it to say, he was not selected for the musical. It also showed those around Riverside that he wasn't afraid of trying something and finding out he wasn't good at it. So tell me, how did he get involved in playing matchmaker for you with Shelley?

Kailen: I went to visit him in his office one day because I had a suspicion the two of you knew each other based on his answer to a question of mine during Orientation Week. I saw Shelley leaving and she gave me that deer-in-the-headlights look that I have received from her the other couple of times we'd seen one another on campus. I asked him about her, he gave me a few details, then offered to play middle man in order for us to finally be in the same place for more than a minute or two.

Teri pulled their minivan into the garage and her daughters hopped out, then entered the house with her coming in behind them. After saying hi to their dad and sister, the girls raided the refrigerator for an afternoon snack while Teri went into the home office to get some work completed before making dinner.

**********

The afternoon quickly creeping away, Marc got insanely bored and decided to dial up the funnier half of the Minnesota lacrosse duo.

Marc: Emily, Deacon Schmidt here.

Emily: Hey Marc. What's up?

Marc: Today is probably the best chance I'm going to have to get my three girls' Christmas presents. I was wondering if you and Hoff would be up for a trip to MOA to help me pick them out. I'll pick you up on my way down from Blaine and buy you food so don't have to worry about missing dinner.

Emily: Give me a minute. Need to text the girlfriend and see if she's game.

After getting Lindsey's response, Emily went back to her call.

Emily: She's up for it, but says she gets to pick where we eat.

Marc: That's fair. See you in about 30 minutes I'm guessing.

Marc hung up and threw on some going-out-in-public clothes, then left Laurie's house and went down to Minnetonka to pick up Emily before continuing south and then east to the Mall of America. Lindsey met the pair outside Nickelodeon Universe and they started off on the search for gifts for Dani, Erin, and Steph.

The first stop for the three of them was right in front of them, Kay Jewelers. Marc walked over to one of the cases and asked for some suggestions from the other two on a gift for Dani.

Lindsey: You're taking Beyonce's advice, I see.

Marc: No need to delay the inevitable and no sense in not getting the process to forever started. Any of the rings catch your eye? I'm looking for a sizable carat count overall but no major stone that would leave others to think it's an engagement ring.

Emily pointed out a couple of options that had a bunch of stones spread out around a small cluster of slightly-larger ones. Marc asked the salesperson to show him one that was set in a marquise shape with several little diamonds surrounding it.

Marc (to the salesperson): What is the total weight of the diamonds on this ring?

Tabitha: 3/8 of a carat on average. It can range from .35 to .44 of a carat.

Marc thought about the information he had been given. Being a fan of marquise diamonds, this particular ring leaped out at him. Given the size, it was probably as big as one could go while still staying in the pre-engagement category. He told Tabitha that he would take the ring and then walked over to the cash register to pay for it ($799 before a 30% discount for Black Friday). Marc rejoined Lindsey and Emily and the three of them went off to find Erin and Steph's gifts elsewhere in the mall.

After a couple of hours of window-shopping and actual shopping, dinner was next on the agenda, with Lindsey choosing Hard Rock Cafe.

Emily: I think your ladies will love what you got them, Marc. Hope Lindsey took notes for when she decides to shop for my gift.

Lindsey: Just you wait. I've got LOTS of ideas of what to get you.

Marc: Christen called me this morning from Phoenix. Julie is coming back to Milwaukee on January 5th and she wants to re-create New Year's Eve sometime during that week, most likely the 10th. She asked if I'd be willing to put together a small party at my place to give those who couldn't be with their SOs on the original day a second chance to ring in 2020. I told her I had an idea, but wanted to get some feedback before bringing it up with the PMA on Monday. Would the two of you have interest in attending something like that?

Emily: Hell yeah! Hoff and I will probably be spending New Year's Eve in PJs gorging on junk food, so having a chance to celebrate back at school with some of our teammates, friends, and this dime looking OH SO fine is definitely something I'd want to do.

Lindsey: Since it would be at your place, I'm guessing Erin and Steph will be there, along with your woman. Who else are you thinking of?

Marc: The cross-state couples around school, like Lauren and Kelley, the goofy nephew and his person of interest, and Becca and Jessie. My idea is that, if there is enough interest, having PMA/LSM sponsor it, to be held at the Melanchthon Center. It would be good practice for them if we should happen to end up hosting LSM's National Gathering next winter break, as we would need to plan something for that opening night, which would be December 31st.

Emily: Has everything been completed dealing with the school's prostitution ring?

Marc: Finished up the last of the paperwork this morning. On Monday, I will hand the rulings over to the various departments to implement before Coach Krueger and I address the media.

Lindsey: Glad to be done with it?

Marc: VERY! Got other things on the plate next week as the athletic department begins the re-staffing process and we finish preparations for next Sunday's Christmas Eve service.

As Marc was handling the bill with their server, his phone buzzed. He quickly looked at it and didn't recognize the number. He made a note to call the person once he got back to Laurie's.

**********

While on I-494 going north back to Blaine, Marc received a call. Recognizing the number as the same one which attempted to reach him while at the Hard Rock Cafe, he answered it.

Marc: Deacon Schmidt.

Dennis Dillon: Marc, it's Dennis.

Marc: Should I be worried that you're calling me out of the blue while I'm out-of-state?

Dennis: Not really. First, I'd like to apologize for my wife and sister-in-law's continued antagonism concerning you and Danielle. They went after her and, well, the rest of the women at the Thanksgiving table, saying you were duping them, then insulted Dani's intelligence and insinuated you would use up her good years and then toss her aside for another 20-something. Oh, she also took a stab at her for maybe adding a couple of pounds in the past year.

Marc: She called me last night after getting home from her impromptu shopping trip with Cali and Olivia, so I got a rundown of the fight.

Dennis: Which is the reason I'm calling. When Steve and I had lunch with her and Cali earlier, you couldn't tell that she had been put through the wringer last night or that she had exploded with the harshest response I have EVER seen her give anyone. Normally, she would have crumbled after Theresa laid in with the weight comment, but she didn't and gave it back to her and Judy in spades. What did you tell her to bring that about?

Marc: We talked on Wednesday night after I got to my sister's. She asked for some suggestions of how to channel my bull-in-a-china-shop attitude should she need to defend me or herself against Theresa and Judy. I gave her a quick primer on letting the rage boil a little before unleashing it as well as laying in wait to see if you have others in your corner.

Dennis: Both Steve and I tried to talk down the women, but T had to keep pushing. I was surprised Dani chose to walk away, as again her normal course of action is to take it and then comfort herself after the fact with food.

Marc: Which then leads to her being revulsed by it and abusing herself to undo the perceived damage of the gorging. She's told me about her eating disorder and how it affected her self-esteem.

Dennis: So what did you say to her last night in the debriefing to calm her down and bring her back to earth?

Marc: The process actually started not long after her and the other two left Judy and Steve's. Cali texted me to say all hell broke loose and that I'd get details from one of them later. I responded with a message my sister wanted me to pass along as well as encouraging Cali to contact Matt to get some comfort and support. What your daughter had her send back to me told me things were going to be fine and to what ends she would go for us.

Dennis: Is that something you can share with me?

Marc: Yeah. Not a HUGE thing in the grand scope of our relationship, but significant. She gave Cali three Bible verses to relay to me. The first one is my favorite, John 15:13: "Greater love has no one than this, that he lays his life down for his friends." The second, Ruth 1:16-17, is her response to her mother-in-law: "Where you go, I will go, and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God." The last one, 1 John 4:18, starts out with "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear."

Dennis: Those do sound like big thoughts and a bit of reassurance that the women aren't going to get in her way of being with you. I'm seeing by just the description of your interaction with each other how good a thing you have and how it's changed Dani for the better, and for that I thank you immensely.

Marc: You're welcome, Dennis. As I told Olivia when she and Angela grilled me some at the soccer team's season finale, Danielle is something special and I feel like I'm getting the better end of the deal.

Dennis: I better get going before Theresa comes looking for me. Know I'm with the two of you, as are most everyone aside from the older women, and I look forward to seeing you with her at our family's Christmas celebration at Olivia and Shawn's.

Marc: Understood. Take care and know I will protect your daughter from whoever wishes to take a swipe at her.

Dennis: I'm well aware of that. Talk to you soon.

Marc exited his car and walked into Laurie's house, bringing to an end a long day filled with good things.


	88. Back In The Saddle

December began with the delivery of Marc's rulings in the prostitution ring's cases to Provost Jan Gifford (academic penalties), VP of Student Affairs Albert Moncrief (non-academic, non-athletic restrictions), and Athletic Director Jamie Krueger (sports-related sanctions) for review and implementation. After handing to Jamie her set of files, Marc and her discussed the upcoming press conference and the week as a whole.

Jamie: I want us to handle the presser in tag-team format, with each of us able to answer more or less any question asked.

Marc: That might confuse the reporters, but it's a good idea since we both have the athletic and spiritual positions to speak on the subjects at hand as well as university-wide matters.

Jamie left her office for a second to find SID Elly Dismore and asked her to join her and Deacon Schmidt. Once back behind her desk, Jamie continued.

Jamie: Elly, Marc and I are discussing the press conference. How many reporters and news outlets are you expecting to be in attendance?

Elly: As of this morning, I had had 14 entities contact me about it. Some are the standard ones, like the Trinity Times and Thunder Media, but there was also a request by Tracey Averett at the synod office to stream the event live on the GMS website.

Marc: Not a bad idea. It provides our response in real time and allows us to reach an audience that could become a thorn in our sides if it's perceived that we've rushed to judgment to get out from under the bad publicity.

Elly: Spot on. Tori Abrams from Thunder Media and Janine Beattie from the Trinity Times would like to do one-on-ones with the two of you afterwards, to be able to ask additional questions to the ones they're able to squeeze in during the formal questioning period.

Jamie: Sounds like a good idea. Have you determined who gets who?

Elly: No. I thought you and Marc would want to decide that.

Jamie: I really don't have a preference. Marc?

Marc: Tori approached me a couple of days after the November 18th press conference seeking an update on the process, the scope of the scandal, and whether any additional actors were involved. I think it makes good sense for her to get me since there is already a solid working relationship between the two of us and she has a fair amount of background information already from my perspective. I also think it's a good idea that one of the school's athletes does the one with the athletic director.

Elly: Why am I even here?! Marc already has the two of you positioned to sail through this presser.

Jamie: To set the ground rules for what we will and won't answer. You get to be the bad guy when we roll out the "no comment" if questions hit areas that could put either of us in a sticky position or bring potential legal trouble for Trinity. As for the second part, Bishop Emerson doesn't call him The Master of Spin for nothing.

Elly: Let me get down to the Friends of Concordia Room to greet the press and provide them with a short synopsis of what the two of you will say.

After Elly departed, Jamie got into her agenda for the rest of the week.

Jamie: I am meeting with Pam (Kucharski) and Peter (Zembruski) tomorrow to feel them out concerning a working relationship and a timeline for the eventual transfer of the program from one to the other as Pam stated she wasn't interested in being the long-term hire as either head basketball coach or associate athletic director. Can you join us? I have them scheduled for 1:00 and we'll meet in the conference room up here.

Marc: I can do that, but why do you want me involved?

Jamie: Comfort factor. You know both of them to some extent, one being a former colleague of yours at Riverside and the other being the father of our department's version of Veruca Salt. I don't expect you to get into tactics and systems of play with them, but you can ask the "fit" questions based on your knowledge of campus and others in the department, including your former players.

Marc: I'll be there.

Jamie: Should everything go well tomorrow, I'm planning to announce the hirings on Thursday as well as officially introduce Dani as the new head women's soccer coach. I hate asking you this, but do you think you can get her up to speed on the public side of her job by that point?

Marc: I don't think she'll be as nervous as you're predicting. The experience she got last year at the USC convention got rid of a lot of that, and me standing at the back of the room on Thursday will give her someone to lock in on so the moment doesn't over-occupy her head. And yeah, I don't really like the idea of being your managerial go-between because that has the potential to put a strain on our relationship, and for the record, we plan to "go public" at the university holiday party on the 18th.

Jamie: I should get downstairs and see how crowded the room is.

Marc: I'll be down in a couple. Want to say hi to your newest hire before I get knee-deep in work.

After leaving Jamie's office, Marc walked over to Dani's and poked his head in.

Marc: You look a LOT better today than you did on Thursday night.

Dani: I have a number of people to thank for that. Cali, Liv, Shawn, Dad, Uncle Steve, and YOU! Most definitely you!

Marc stepped in and, after a quick glance backwards, laid a soft peck on his partner's lips.

Dani: Mmmmmm. I've missed that.

Marc: I wanted to make sure I saw you before rehearsal because it is going to be a crazy day with the press conference, PMA, and catching up on work from the last several days.

Dani: Dinner?

Marc: I was thinking.....pick up Papa Murphy's and Kopp's and have you stay the night.

Dani: Sounds terrific.

Marc looked at his watch and saw it was 9:50.

Marc: Gotta be going. You coming?

Dani: Better believe it. It's not every day that I get to watch my bae work his magic on the media.

The pair left her office and made the short trip down to the first floor and into the Friends of Concordia Room.

**********

Jamie: Good morning. I am Jamie Krueger, the athletic director of Trinity Lutheran University. Two weeks ago, I and a number of others addressed you in the aftermath of prostitution raids the previous weekend which resulted in the arrests of numerous members of the Trinity athletic department. In that time, interviews and hearings were held and judgments submitted on 26 female student-athletes. In addition, I have made several key decisions regarding a handful of women's sports, some of which I will announce at this time. Sara Manning was dismissed as head women's soccer coach on November 18th, and we are planning to introduce her successor on Thursday. On November 25th, the school's cheerleading program was placed on suspension for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. The next day, I removed Alice Gilbert as head women's basketball coach and appointed Ross Stanton interim coach. I also postponed all games for the team through January 5th. At this time, I'd like to turn the podium over to Deacon Marc Schmidt, Trinity's chaplain and the athletic department's magistrate for student-athlete misconduct.

Marc: Thank you, Jamie. I won't take up a lot of time with my portion as I'd like us to be able to move onto answering your questions. As Jamie said, rulings were passed off today to the relevant university departments on 26 female student-athletes who were in some way involved in the sex-for-donations scheme run by Gavin Winchester and Sara Manning. Penalties range from one student being dismissed from the university to four others who were given academic suspensions for the remainder of the 2019-2020 academic year to others who were given campus restriction. A good number of the 26 were dismissed from their athletic teams, with others at the mercy of their head coaches. Before I end my remarks, I would like to thank several individuals who were instrumental in helping my office bring this fourteen-month nightmare to a conclusion. First is Rev. Alex Schroeder Bailey, Chief Financial Officer of the ELCA, who ran an audit on the athletic department and uncovered a number of discrepancies which led to further investigation by her and myself. Next is Sean Forbes, Trinity's CFO, who reviewed Rev. Bailey's audit and documents and was able to find several instances of financial malfeasance attributable to Mr. Winchester's management of the alumni relations program. To the five members of my office who handled the initial questioning of nearly all those implicated, my sincere gratitude for stepping in to expedite this process and helping to wrap up everything prior to Thanksgiving break. And last but definitely not least, the member of Trinity's student body who blew the whistle on the racket, which allowed for Glendale and Brown Deer police to set up a sting in an effort to bring it to an end. I turn the mic back over to Jamie.

Jamie: We will entertain your questions now.

Tracey Averett, Greater Milwaukee Synod (ELCA): Deacon Schmidt, would you consider the judicial process to be completed?

Marc: Not necessarily. With the first swath of sanctions being levied over the next couple of days, some of the parties may wish to reveal new information about others who participated in an effort to gain a reduction in their penalties. Those potential cases would be taken up at the start of Spring semester, as there is little time remaining between now and Thursday afternoon to investigate and adjudicate the the charges.

Tim Vandenberg, Fox 6: Ms. Krueger, what is the timeline for interviewing and hiring a new women's basketball coach?

Jamie: I have two candidates coming to campus tomorrow afternoon to meet with me and discuss the three openings in our department, that being head and assistant women's basketball coach and associate athletic director. Should the meeting prove fruitful, I plan to announce their hirings on Thursday in addition to the formal introduction of Danielle Dillon as our head women's soccer coach. We hope to also announce at that time the team's revamped schedule for the remainder of the season.

Janine Beattie, Trinity Times: Deacon Schmidt, will you be providing any sort of spiritual counseling for the perpetrators of these crimes?

Marc: I'd like Jamie to take this on, as she has the better idea of how it would go over among the student-athletes.

Jamie: The Student-Athlete Advisory Council will be meeting tomorrow at 4:00 and this matter will be on the agenda. I plan to poll them about what they have seen in the past two weeks related to their teammates and then will decide when or how we make Marc and/or myself available for one-on-one counseling sessions.

Jon Kuiper, JOY 1340: Ms. Krueger, many of our listeners are reasonably suspicious of the speed at which things have progressed in the past two weeks. One, is today's press conference an attempt to close the door on the scandal and therefore subvert the media's right to serve its constituents with relevant information, and two, are the eventual hires in the athletic department going to be in line with Bishop Emerson and Deacon Schmidt's relentless pursuit of turning Trinity Lutheran University into an open-and-affirming academic institution?

Jamie looked at Marc as if to say, "Help!". He came up alongside her at the lectern, after which she responded to the questions.

Jamie: Any hirings we make will be in line with TLU Human Resources policy, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion, and sexual orientation. Any questions in the interview and hiring process regarding those statuses must be germane to the job for which the person is applying. As for the other part of your question, I'll have Deacon Schmidt answer that.

Marc: Mr. Kuiper, I remember when we met with the media on November 18th your insinuating that Bishop Emerson and/or myself were somehow responsible for the creation of the prostitution ring. Now you are blatantly throwing shade at the both of us for the university's future hiring decisions. The matter of Trinity becoming a Reconciling In Christ institution has not been discussed with any of the legislative bodies on this campus. Therefore, your question is out-of-line and, though we have no reason to remain closeted about our intentions, unlike those to the right of us, that topic is not relevant to Jamie's decisions regarding new members of the athletic department staff.

Jamie: Thank you for attending.

As Jamie and Marc attempted to exit the Friends of Concordia Room, they were intercepted by Jon, who wanted to engage in a bit of to-and-fro with the pair. Walking straight by him, they met Tori and Janine outside the door and headed away for their one-on-one follow-ups with the pair.

**********

The Peer Ministry Alliance's final meeting of Fall semester was led off by Marc checking in with everyone on their Thanksgiving celebrations and what if any less-savory moments occurred. Following that, he introduced two new students to the organization's roster.

Marc: As we enter 2020, a year which I expect will be VERY busy should we be awarded next winter's National Gathering, I felt we needed to expand our reach on campus and make headway in embracing ALL of it with the Good News. Thus, I am bringing two new individuals into the PMA. As you can see, neither of them are foreign to most of you and will help us meet those new needs, either by taking on new ministry or by allowing me to move other peer ministers into them. Katelyn and Cameron, welcome to the team.

Katelyn: It's a real honor to be selected to join the Peer Ministry Alliance so early in my college career. How do you envision my role at the moment?

Marc: There are three possible places I can see you landing. One would be worship, where we will need to replace Karina after Spring semester. Another is working with Coach Krueger to bring ministry into the athletic department. The third would be using your connections around the synod to assist Erin, Cali, and Brad with planning portions of the Lutheran Student Movement National Gathering should we host it.

Cameron: I was surprised when you reached out to me and asked me to be part of this group, as I hadn't really expressed much of my religious background this semester.

Marc: I have my ways of learning things about people. I saw someone from your hometown at the Reformation Day dinner in October and asked him if he was acquainted with your family.

Cameron: Matt Lasalle?

Marc: That would be the person. He told me you're a great one-on-one person, which is a key trait to being a good peer minister. He also said you were hungering for a life that was more meaningful than the standard work-a-day existence. As you can see around this table, we of the XY world are severely outnumbered in the church. Because we don't usually respond to things of a spiritual nature the same way women do, there is a need to take a different tack in expressing it. I have been intentional this semester in finding ways to reach male students, and now I want to have someone within the team take on the task.

Cameron: So that would be my role?

Marc: Yes, Cam. You'll get training from myself as well as other men directly or indirectly involved in campus ministry here as well as at UWM and Marquette.

After a quick round of introductions, Marc moved into the two main things he wanted to address.

Marc: Erin, have you heard anything from Jenn Healey about our proposal?

Erin: I got an email this morning from her saying the national council would like to have us present our proposal to them at National Gathering.

Marc: Which means we have to send at least a couple of students to Chicago for it. Is there anyone interested in attending?

Cali: With Erin and Steph going to Vancouver with you, Alyssa and I should go at a minimum, her as the head of our delegation and me to do the presentation of our proposal to host next year's event.

Marc: Alyssa?

Alyssa: Would Amanda be able to attend as well?

Marc: Don't see why not. Either UWO's ministry or our synod can pick up the cost.

Katelyn, Christen, and Corey also indicated interest in going. Marc asked the five of them to come back to his office after the meeting to fill out the registration forms, which he would send onto Jenn along with a check from TLU Business Services to cover the fees.

Marc: Christen called me on Friday morning with an idea for the Friday evening before classes start in January. Would you care to present it to the others?

Christen: A fair number of us are going to be away from our guys or gals on New Year's Eve. As something that I'm desiring to celebrate with Julie when she returns from Phoenix, I asked Marc if he'd be willing to host a second-chance party at his place on the night of the 10th. He did a little informal research over break and determined that we'd probably need a bigger venue if we chose to do this. Therefore, I recommend that PMA and/or LSM sponsor it as a campus-wide event, to be held in the Melanchthon Center.

Cali: Let's do it!

Alyssa: We'd have about ten days to reserve Melanchthon, publicize, and get everything organized for it before everyone leaves for break. Is it even remotely doable??

Abby: There are several of us who are local. We would have technically two additional weeks to pull it together, the week after finals and the week leading into the 10th. If the out-of-area people handle the big stuff before departing, the rest of us can do the nuts-and-bolts while you're away.

Marc: This would be really good practice for those who would be spearheading the planning for next year's Gathering as an event of this size and nature would need to be planned for the first night, which is December 31st. The bigger banquet and dance on January 3rd would be handled by the main office and the national council.

Cali: Sounds like we have three so far committed to dealing with the work for this New Year's Redux, those being myself, Christen, and Abby. Brad, you live like 5 minutes or so away from campus, correct?

Brad: Yes.

Cali: Could you help us with handling the back-and-forth with Campus Services during that time?

Brad: So long as I have Marc's imprimatur, you work out what you want and I'll see that it's gotten.

Marc: I'm always a text away if you run into obstacles, but this really needs to be your guys' project.

Alyssa: Let's put this to a vote. All in favor?

Cali, Steph, Erin, Alyssa, Katelyn, Abby, Brad, Christen, Julie, Corey, and Cameron raised their hands.

Alyssa: Seeing that a majority is in favor of it, LSM will sponsor Trinity's Second-Chance New Year's Eve Celebration. Erin, Cali, and Corey, since the three of you are the heads of that organization, it is up to you to take care of reserving Melanchthon and publicizing the event. As for the other volunteers, it looks like Christen is probably the person who should rally those troops, and the first meeting of them should happen sometime before finals start.

Christen: Tonight at 8 in Rincker?

Cali: I can make that.

Brad: That'll work.

Abby: Sounds good to me.

Marc told his sixteen peer ministers to maintain a normal sleeping and eating schedule so they could perform at their peak during Finals Week and that he'd hopefully see all of them on Wednesday at worship.

**********

Marc spent the afternoon in his office catching up on the backlog of email before he would shift to working on Wednesday's homily. He sent a message to Ali Krieger with information on his homily for her and Steph's wedding.

Ali,

While at my sister's place for Thanksgiving weekend, I put together my homily for the 31st. It is based upon the paths the two of you have taken to get to that day, from the "woulda coulda shoulda" of London to her being allocated to the Spirit after Ash went to the Pride to Rio and its aftermath to the Dirty 30 that ignited what hadn't been disclosed to the both of you ending up in Philadelphia. I think it's good, but it's missing some personality. Can you write me back with a list of your wedding party so I can possibly get some insight from them about each of you and their impressions of life leading up to your getting together?

Marc Schmidt

Once that was sent off, Marc began reading through the Lectionary for passages he wished to base his message for Wednesday upon. After finding two that he felt provided support for a theme of what happens AFTER forgiveness is sought and granted, he started typing out his thoughts as well as what multimedia he wished to utilize to clarify the theme.

**********

Following a pre-dress rehearsal of Sunday's Christmas Eve service, Marc and Dani left campus and picked up dinner and custard on their way his place. Once inside, Marc put the pizza into the oven and Dani stored the pints of custard from Kopp's in the freezer, then went out into the living room and embraced one another. The silence between them wasn't uncomfortable, as their non-verbal communication signaled they were in sync mentally and emotionally after what had occurred over the long weekend.

After pulling the pizza from the oven and slicing it, Marc brought two plates into the dining room and placed them on the table. Once the pair had sat down across from one another, Dani opened the conversation.

Dani: When I hit you up on Thursday night, as you could see I wasn't really all there. My mom going after my weight ripped me to the core, since it's still a weak spot in my psyche. As confident as I am with owning my figure around you and my soul sisters at Trinity, I'm still a little bit timid about doing it in more public settings.

Marc: Like the Reformation Day dinner, where the biddies got to gum-flapping about you and Alyssa despite knowing NOTHING about either of you.

Dani: Yeah.

Marc: Your dad called me on Friday evening while I was heading back to Laurie's from the Mall of America and told me that you looked like a mil when you two, Steve, and Cali went to lunch earlier that day, as though nothing had happened the previous evening. He asked me what I had told you to get you to go after the women as hard as you did, then how did I get you back to level afterwards. I told him the truth about what I had said Wednesday night, then laid out the conversation you and I were having through Cali as you, her, and Olivia were heading away from Steve and Judy's.

Dani: Including what I had her send you?

Marc: Yes. He could see the depth and gravitas of your choices and how it communicated your feelings about us. Now, I know I didn't have much of an impact on you going from 100 back to 0 on Thursday night, so what did?

Dani: Actually, the tension release I got while thinking of you helped immensely, as did us virtually sleeping together that night. I woke up in such a good mood, feeling like I beat the two of them by not crumbling in front of them.

Marc: Sleeping next to you, sort of, felt so good. It allowed me to feel like I was there and protecting you from those who would seek to harm you. It's also why I suggested you stay the night.

Dani: So........did you buy me anything while at MOA on Friday?

Marc: Yes, and you'll get that gift at my family's Christmas. I have one in mind to give you on Christmas Eve, when it's just the two of us. The third one, to be opened on Christmas Day at Olivia and Shawn's, I haven't figured out yet. It has to be something that won't get certain tongues wagging, that would be "proper" for a three-month relationship or so.

Dani: I've gotten the first two of yours. Still need to get you something to open in front of my family.

Dani cleared the table, put the remaining pizza in the refrigerator, and threw out the paper plates. From there, the two of them went up to his bedroom to wind down together and get a really good night's sleep, fully content to be spending the night with the other half of their hearts.


	89. Prepare The Way

A solid morning of preparation for the rest of the week was had by Marc. The homily for tomorrow was in the can, he had provided Christen and Cali feedback on how to spread the word about New Year's Redux and their plans for the event, and he pressed ahead with some changes he planned to make in Friday's dress rehearsal for the Christmas Eve service. After meeting with Matt Benning for lunch, during which they discussed their partners' troubles and how they each have responded to them, Marc went to the athletic department offices in Buuck. When he arrived, he saw that Jamie was already in the conference room with Pam Kucharski and Peter Zembruski and so went to join them.

Marc: Sorry I'm a little late. Glad to see you both, Pam and Peter.

Jamie: I invited Marc to sit in on our interview because he knows the two of you to some extent and because I plan to start having someone associated with the synod involved in the process as we've had problems since becoming Trinity with coaches who carried over from Concordia and Carthage not adhering to the ELCA's Social Statements as specified in the school's new Codes of Conduct. I'll let him handle that part first, then we can get down to discussing how the two of you desire to manage the program.

Marc: The three Social Statements of the ELCA that are germane to your posts are the ones on Human Sexuality, Education, and Women and Justice. Based on what I know about you, I don't believe there is going to be much of an issue with being in agreement with them and willing to abide by them in the execution of your duties.

Pam: I'm sure both of us will read over those statements in the next day or two. Can you highlight things in them that might be different than what common sense might dictate?

Marc: Sure. On the sexuality statement, Trinity recognizes a variety of relationship forms that other religiously-affiliated colleges may not, such as same-sex partnerships, three-partner relationships, and ones between faculty or staff and students, within certain guidelines. It is expected that all staff treat with respect those relationships in their midst, even if they personally disagree with them. As for the one on education, the ELCA acknowledges that all people are entitled to the highest quality education available regardless of race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, or gender identity and will not allow those who are entrusted with providing that education to discriminate against students based on any of those categories. Women and Justice's thrust is that women have been thought of by the church writ large as being unequal to men and we as a denomination disagree with that notion.

Pam: The first two you mention, being who I am, I completely support those. On the third, how does that affect us as a program?

Marc: It provides tacit encouragement to consider women in the filling of positions and in giving them equitable continuing education opportunities.

Pam: Sounds like something I'd be in favor of.

Peter: I'm on-board with all three of those as they directly affect my daughter, who as you know is a student-athlete at Trinity.

Marc: Oh, we know! We definitely know!

Jamie took over the interview and gave the two coaches an opportunity to discuss between them how they wished to handle the eventual transfer of the program from Pam to Peter at the end of the 2020-2021 academic year. After coming to an agreement and the steps to be taken in the next 18 months, Jamie asked Pam about her desires for the associate athletic director's position. She said her wishes were to gradually become less-involved on a semester-by-semester basis, with the current assistant AD moving up to associate at the same time Peter took over women's basketball and a new assistant AD replacing her following that. Marc excused himself, but not before Jamie told him to plan on Thursday at 11 for the press conference to introduce Pam, Peter, and Dani to the public and provide an update on the revamped schedule. After he left, Jamie shared with the other two the provisional schedule for the remainder of the regular season (20 games in 42 days after rescheduling the six NACC games). With all three in agreement, Jamie officially offered Pam the head coaching and associate athletic director jobs and Peter the assistant coaching job, which would be elevated to associate head coach for 2020-2021.

**********

As the noon hour drew near, Bonhoeffer Chapel began to fill for the final worship service of Fall semester. Alyssa and Christen were in the sacristy robing up while Marc was in the sanctuary setting up the video clip he planned to use at the start of his homily. Once Cali and Erin arrived, he joined his two assistants in getting prepared.

Marc (to Christen): How did the meeting on Monday night go?

Christen: It was quite productive. We laid out a theme for the night, determined what we wanted to include in the event, divvied up the task list, and discussed the idea of charging admission. I got an email this morning from Campus Services confirming our reservation of Melanchthon for January 10th, 4pm-1am.

Marc: Can you give it a plug during worship? I'm thinking after the installation of Katelyn and Cameron following my homily. No need for specifics, just the 5 W's (who, what, where, when, and why).

Christen: Sure.

Marc: Alyssa, like we did in March with this year's class of peer ministers, you will be doing the question-and-answer portion of the installation. As I told Christen, that will come after the homily.

Alyssa: Aye Aye, Captain!

Marc: Time to shine. One warning before we go out. I have several witticisms interspersed in my message, and I won't necessarily preface them before they're used. Try your best not to crack up, but don't be afraid to laugh out loud if you can't keep it in.

**********

Following Alyssa's reading of the day's Gospel (Matthew 3:1-12), the projection screen was dropped from the ceiling, with a video clip starting a few seconds later which would set the stage for Marc's homily.

Marc: Why did I choose to start my message today with the opening from "Godspell"? That first number, "Prepare Ye", coincides with today's Gospel lesson from Matthew 3. Advent is considered a time of preparation for the coming of Jesus, just as Lent is considered such a time leading to Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday. I have focused my worship messages over these first three semesters of Trinity's existence on the concepts of love and forgiveness. Now, we move on from the reception and gifting of those to what we are called to do with them AFTER they have become part of our spiritual DNA. As you see, there is a joy in this eclectic community of ragamuffins as they first come together and then take what they have and spread it to those around them. This is how life as Christians should be lived, sharing the peace and joy we have found in Jesus with those around us and "preparing the way" for the Holy Spirit to move in them and call them to join us on this journey. As I watched the movie in developing today's homily, I saw that a number of parables in our Lectionary for this year were mentioned, such as the one of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, and the one of the Master and the Servant. There is also a segment where an adulteress approached Jesus seeking forgiveness only to be shunned by those around her. His response is the now often-repeated phrase, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." As this campus continues to rebuild itself from both the schism and its aftermath and the scandal involving the athletic department, details will be exposed and members of our community will be in the midst of it. We need to remember that we can't judge others for their missteps and the consequences of them, nor should they judge us.

Marc: So how do we take this message of peace, joy, love, and forgiveness and spread it around campus? One way is through Lutheran Student Movement, who will be hosting an event at the beginning of next semester welcoming back to Trinity its students, faculty, and staff. Another is through the Peer Ministry Alliance, which will be adding two new members following my remarks. In the Body of Christ, no one does it all by himself and thus the work requires a vast number of people with various gifts, talents, and abilities. Therefore, I proclaim that we want you as our new recruits. Before I close, let me say that the spiritual foundation on this campus is strong. Its leaders are men and women who lead from the heart and proclaim the truth of our Savior by word and deed. If you have questions on how you can become more involved or if you're seeking to find the peace and joy others on this campus have, don't hesitate to visit me at my office in Luther. My door is always open, even if my wallet isn't.

Christen had to stifle her desire to let a hearty chuckle fly out of her mouth. Others in the pews were doing their best to not burst out in laughter. Dani and Erin shook their heads, not believing that Marc could throw out two 70s disco references and his go-to closing all in the span of 45 seconds or so. Katelyn and Cameron were invited to approach the altar along with Steph Lafleur and Matt Benning. Alyssa asked the two of them the requisite three questions used for the installation of ministers, which were answered in the affirmative. Marc anointed them before they and their sponsors returned to their seats. Christen then presented to the congregation a short synopsis of New Year's Redux and mentioned where people could purchase tickets and procure pre-owned formal attire in the Milwaukee area. Following that, Marc went on with the remainder of the service.

**********

Joe Rollins: THIS is the Deacon Schmidt that I was expecting to see when Paula and I came to campus for the Reformation Day service.

Marc: I had such a bug up my rump over what happened to our students the previous weekend at the dinner that I had to go Mad Dog up there. Today was much different in that I read this week's Gospel, got the ear worm from "Godspell", and was able to run with a celebratory message that also provided a step toward where I want to lead this campus spiritually next semester.

Dani, Erin, Steph, and Cali came up behind Marc while he was in conversation with Katelyn's dad and proceeded to josh him over his use of "YMCA" and "In The Navy" to proclaim Biblical truths.

Joe: Why did you choose those two phrases from the Village People at the end of your sermon, and how were you able to tie them in so effortlessly to the rest of the remarks you made?

Marc: I believe that everything that happens or exists has at some level a bit of divine inspiration. Therefore, if you look at life through that lens, you can make poignant connections between the secular and the spiritual. The lyric from "YMCA" goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden, if you think about it. God, after making Adam, decided that he needed help. The second lyric reinforces that belief and also puts out the call for others to join myself and our campus' equivalent of the Apostles in the work being done here.

Joe: When that passage in Matthew comes up in the Lectionary, I try to work around it because I see those words as more indicative of His journey to Gethsemane than the one to Bethlehem. I guess I'm going to have to ponder giving those verses a more in-depth reading. One thing I'll say, Marc, is that, though I did seminary and have been in the business 20 years or so and you came to your post by a different means, I'd put you up against almost any parish pastor for knowing your stuff and being able to proclaim truth, even if you drive way off-course to find it.

Marc: Thanks, I think.

Joe departed to catch up with Katelyn in Siebert, which allowed Marc to return to the sacristy and remove his vestments.

**********

Back in his office following Lunch Bunch, Marc checked his email and saw two important messages from corners of the world he didn't expect.

Deacon Schmidt,

We in the home office were enamored by your interview with Tori Abrams of Thunder Media concerning your school's process of repairing itself following the scandal which rocked Trinity's athletic department recently. Knowing that you also are founder of the Urban Coaching Institute, we were wondering if you'd be able to do a presentation at Convention on a subject of your choosing tied to the idea of off-field issues bleeding into on-field performance or advancement. Please contact us at your earliest convenience.

Vince Gandolf

Education Content Coordinator

United Soccer Coaches

###

Deacon Schmidt,

The story of your athletic department's sex-for-donations racket touched me deeply as it reflected my own mental struggles in sport that led to problems with my mental health following retirement and ultimately led to a number of poor decisions that eventually were made public. I'm planning to be back in Wisconsin for a couple of presentations the last week of January and wondered if Trinity Lutheran might be interested in having me share my journey and do some one-on-one meetings with students involved in the ring. I hope to hear from you soon.

Shauntelle Harrington

After reading them, Marc made some notes in his day planner on who he needed to speak with tomorrow about these two opportunities. Following that, he went over to Steunkel to sit in on that afternoon's SGA meeting in preparation for tomorrow's Faculty Senate session.


	90. Two Worlds Collide

A VERY long and busy Thursday commenced with Marc and Dani meeting for breakfast at Panera in Mequon.

Marc: Jamie wanted me to get you up to speed before today's press conference, but I told her you didn't really need my intervention given the public role you've played with UCI over this past year. I also told her I wasn't overly enthused about being her go-between because it could end up causing strain in our relationship. It's going to be hard enough keeping the vultures off our backsides without having others use one of us to "buck up" the other.

Dani: I appreciate that, babe. I'm ready to finally give MY vision of where women's soccer at Trinity will be heading and to officially turn the page from Sara's leadership of the program to my own. That said, what should I be prepared for when the press are allowed to start asking questions?

Marc: Top thing I'm sure they will want to know is how you plan to keep a recurrence of the ring from occurring. Avoid it by referencing the matter in your remarks and how your vision will eliminate most of the conditions that allowed it to start in the first place.

Dani: Scheduling?

Marc: General ideas for the seven non-conference games, such as whether you want to get into a tournament or the types of schools you're looking at. Don't be afraid to mention a school or two you desire to play, which will get the ball rolling to scheduling it if the other school is interested.

Dani: I already know how I'm answering the assistant coach question, stating that I plan to do some interviewing at the USC Convention.

Marc: Good thinking. Do you have an idea of what you want?

Dani: A little, but not firm on specifics. I know that I need someone with different skills than myself, who complements what I bring to the table. The person would need to buy into my recruiting philosophy and my belief in the program making the same four-year commitment to the players that we ask them to make to us.

Marc: Any of your family coming?

Dani: Cali, of course, Angela, and my dad.

Marc: Hopefully you'll have a good portion of your team there as well. I'll be in the back of the room trying to stay out of general sight. If you get nervous, lock in on me. Hopefully I can pull you through by my presence. As for my docket for the day, I have to track down Jamie and Lexi at some point to ask them about a couple of requests I got yesterday, one from USC and the other from a former Olympic diver. After work, I'll be attending the Zimmer Memorial Lecture at Centennial Hall. Great topic and speaker this year as we come up to the 60th anniversary of Frank's leaving the mayor's office and the upcoming 2020 mayoral election. Also a good way for me to catch up with Kailen and her mom.

Dani: Ahhhh. That's how the dots connect. I know you said you went to school with the granddaughter of a former mayor, but didn't know that it was this one or that Kailen was her daughter.

Marc: Interested? It's a different world of mine, my past or at least a piece of it.

Dani: I guess I need to get used to the limelight at some point, because you for sure are NOT going to go quietly into that good night. Yes, I'll come.

Marc: Guess we should be heading up to campus.

The two of them left the cafe and walked to their cars, with Marc stopping by Dani's to give her a kiss and tell her how proud he is and will be when he sees her at the podium later.

**********

Due to a higher-than-expected number of requests from local, regional, and national media outlets, this morning's press conference was moved from the Friends of Concordia Room in Buuck to the larger Lake Shore Room between Siebert Dining Hall and Steunkel. Marc walked down the hall connecting Luther and Siebert/Stuenkel and snuck in at the back of the room just as the four main speakers were getting settled at the front. He shuffled in further and stood against the wall just slightly to the right of the center aisle (left if looking out from the podium). He greeted a number of people that were around him (Dennis, Angela, Jared Harper from FOX 6,), then looked across the aisle and waved at the sizable cheering section for Dani (Cali, Erin, Steph Lafleur, Lexi, Erica, Amber, Sarah Hawthorne, and Ashley Sasser). Jamie stood behind the lectern and, once those in attendance had quieted, began.

Jamie: Good morning. A new day in Trinity Lutheran University athletics is upon us. Instead of standing up here and addressing criminal activity or our disciplinary response to it, I get to bring good news to you. Before I introduce the three people seated beside me, I would like to provide an update on the women's basketball schedule. Everyone should have a copy of the revamped slate. Yes, it is a daunting task to play 20 games in the span of just over six weeks, especially with two dismissals from the roster since the last time the Thunder took the court. Thanks goes out to Director of Compliance Kara Callen for doing the grunt work in finding places in the calendar to sandwich in the six NACC games that were postponed.

Jamie: When it was determined that a philosophy of live-and-let-live had been the standard operating procedure for overseeing the women's basketball program, I had to make the difficult decision of removing Alice Gilbert from her position as head coach. Following that, I had discussions with the two remaining assistants and told them that I would be looking outside the department for her eventual replacement. I temporarily promoted Ross Stanton to interim head coach and the school bought out the contract of Cheryl Ryerson. This left two positions open as well as the associate athletic director's job that became vacant when I was elevated to athletic director following the resignation of Gavin Winchester. Phone interviews done last Wednesday trimmed the field dramatically and I found a pair of candidates that, together, had the requisite experience both in coaching women's basketball as well as dealing with challenging off-the-court situations. I felt both of them out about a vision for the program and met with the duo on Tuesday to see how their ideas meshed as well as discuss the transfer of the program from our incoming head coach to her assistant at the end of the 2020-2021 academic year. We also discussed the same relative to the associate athletic director's position.

Jamie: The two people that have been chosen to lead women's basketball at Trinity bring with them a combined 40 years of coaching experience, most of it in our state's largest and most challenging school district. First, I'd like to present our new head women's basketball coach and associate athletic director, Pam Kucharski.

Pam rose from her seat, shook hands with Jamie, then stepped up to the mic.

Pam: It is indeed an honor to be asked to lead Trinity Lutheran women's basketball at this trying time. When Jamie approached me about considering the head coaching job here, I was to be honest a bit hesitant. I was happy in my retirement and enjoyed my part-time gig as general manager of the Milwaukee Aces. When she told me who had brought my name up with her, I felt like I should at least listen as the person knew me and my experience at Riverside, where I coached his younger sister, well enough to make such an endorsement on my ability to restore and rebuild the program here. What can you expect from the Thunder the remainder of the year? A team that will leave everything on the court, that will work relentlessly on improving day by day, and which will play the game with passion, joy, and respect. I can't wait to get to work and figure out how we're going to manage that beast of a schedule we were handed just before this press conference. Next, please welcome my assistant, Peter Zembruski.

Peter: As a coach and a teacher, I have bounced around the map in both men's and women's basketball and at the high school, AAU, and college levels. When Coach Krueger contacted me, I was actually a bit nervous as my youngest daughter had had run-ins with her and others at Trinity. She assured me that her phone call had nothing to do with her, then explained the situation with women's basketball here and wondered if I'd be interested in being a part of its resurrection. In our meeting with her on Tuesday, the pair of women laid out their plan to turn the program over to me after next season and we began laying down the framework for our first practice in charge, which will be Monday. The two of us plan to use today and tomorrow's practices to evaluate the players from the outside, determine what is lacking, and then attempt to bolster the roster to fill those holes. I look forward to this opportunity and thank Jamie for offering it to me.

Jamie: Now, for the REALLY good news of this media gathering. After I dismissed Sara Manning as head women's soccer coach on November 18th, President Don Garrett, Deacon Marc Schmidt, and myself met to discuss the program's future, as it had been made muddy by both the criminal activity rampant amongst the team and Gavin Winchester's desire to move it to Division I within the next two years. You might ask why the school's chaplain would be involved in this discussion. Besides being our campus's religious and moral leader, he is also the foremost person at Trinity within the world of women's soccer and could provide us with the necessary background knowledge to make informed decisions. After our colloquy, two things were clear. First, we should NOT be considering a move of the women's soccer program to Division I given the wreckage it had and would sustain as a result of the prostitution ring. Second, continuity mattered and would be the only way to potentially rehabilitate it. It also didn't hurt that we had on-campus a small cadre of support for our current assistant coach. It is my great pleasure to introduce to you the head women's soccer coach at Trinity Lutheran University, Danielle Dillon.

The back left corner of the room erupted as Dani made her way to the podium.

Dani: Ladies, I said you needed to cheer like that AFTER my remarks. Seriously, can't get college kids to handle even the simplest of tasks. When I walked across the stage at UWM Panther Arena to receive my teaching degree from Cardinal Stritch, I did not think that less than 2 1/2 years later, I would be the head coach of a college soccer program. Guess my ESP was off that day. Before I get into the list of people I need to thank for getting me to this point, I want to tell you what's in store for women's soccer here. Between myself and the cadre Jamie mentioned, we will institute a new culture within the program, one based on trust, support, and vulnerability. We will take on the challenge of playing the best competition we can outside the conference while also developing rivalries with our fellow ELCA institutions. We will play a style of game that utilizes all our talent and doesn't rely on one or two players to carry most if not all the offensive or defensive load. We will build a leadership core within the team that can be counted upon to be first in the door, last out, and who see the rest of their teammates as a sisterhood. You may not get along all the time, but you would scratch and claw someone's eyes out if they hurt one of them.

Dani: Now, that list. First person I have to thank has to be Jamie for believing in my ability to take on this job given the condition the program is in now. My family deserves a lot of kudos for supporting my love for this sport and my desire to share that with others. To my former coaches, teammates, and youth players: Each of you has played a part in getting me to this day. To the set of extraordinary women who I will be privileged to lead going forward: You will make me a better coach as I try in my own small way to make you better people. Last, but most definitely not least, to my mentor, my friend, and my soccer guru, Deacon Marc Schmidt: I would not be here right now if it wasn't for the many things you have taught me both about soccer and about life. Now don't let all that praise go to your head, Mad Dog. You still ain't cuter than me! Before I close, I'd like to bring up the captains for the 2020 TLU women's soccer team, Erica Skidmore and Cali Farmer.

The pair walked up to the podium and stood on either side of Dani. After placing the captain's armband on each of them, Dani stated, "You have been entrusted with being your teammates' greatest supporters and their harshest critics. May you lead them with humility, grace, and love."

The three of them retreated to the wall at the front of the room while Jamie returned to the lectern.

Jamie: We will now take questions.

Jon Kuiper, JOY 1340: Ms. Krueger, how open was the process to fill these positions? Were any people not affiliated with the Trinity community given consideration? Was there a litmus test for these hires, and will there be one for future hires?

Marc shook his head at the questions she was asked, wishing he were up there to give Kuiper a verbal lashing for attempting to score points with the Religious Right by putting those on the left under overwhelming scrutiny.

Jamie: First, the stability of our school's athletic programs necessitated quick action on filling these voids, as women's basketball is presently in-season and the shuffling-of-chairs in the college soccer world would commence shortly, with the United Soccer Coaches Convention in Baltimore occurring in just over a month. As for a litmus test, the only non-sports-related requirement placed on the positions is adherence to the ELCA's Social Statements.

Tori Abrams, Thunder Media: Coach Kucharski, what can we expect in terms of your style of play?

Pam: My teams have always been known for an aggressive front-court game, built off having a surplus of 3's and 4's. Peter and I need to evaluate the current roster before I can commit to a particular offensive scheme.

Sarah Sullivan, ESPNW: Coach Dillon, both you and Jamie mentioned a cadre of individuals at Trinity who would be assisting you in setting a new course for the women's soccer program. Are you at liberty to disclose who they are, and will one of them ultimately become your assistant?

Dani: Answering the second half first, I plan to interview candidates at the United Soccer Coaches Convention next month. If that should prove not to be fruitful, I will then begin focusing on local possibilities, hoping to have someone selected and hired by the beginning of Spring practice.

Sarah Sullivan: And the cadre?

Dani: I have a number of former teammates who work at Trinity, including two within the athletic department. Between those three, the good chaplain, and myself, we will be using our shared experience to take the philosophy I mentioned earlier and bring it to the program here.

Eric Andrews, Wisconsin Soccer Central: Coach Dillon, your team is coming off a winning season overall and a .500 one in the NACC. With the turnover you're expecting, are those reasonable goals for 2020?

Dani: The first, yes. All depends on who makes up the seven non-conference games. The second should be attainable based on the home/away slates. Whether both come off probably has more to do with the order of opponents than anything.

Morgan Andringa, Trinity Times: Coach Kucharski, you've been off the sidelines for a few years now. How difficult do you think it will be returning to coaching?

Pam: It's like riding a bike. Once you're back on it, the muscle memory kicks in and you just go. I don't see having TOO long a learning curve in this new stop on my career path.

Jamie: Thank you for coming. The coaches will be available for brief one-on-ones up here at the front.

Jamie walked to the back of the room and was introduced by Marc to Angela and Dennis.

Jamie: Dani has impressed me so much in the time she's been here. I hope we're not going to end up in a bidding war with one of the D-I schools here for her services in a couple of years.

Angela: I'm not sure you'll have a lot to worry about pertaining to that. She loves the small-college feel of Trinity as it's similar to Stritch. She has friends here that are going to be huge supports as she pulls the program out of the muck. Then there's her X factor.

Marc: Ang, why you wanna stick me on the hot seat like that?!?!

Dennis: My daughter and I concur on this. The two of you getting reacquainted and everything that's come since then is the best thing ever to happen to Danielle.

Marc: I've told both of you how I feel about her and about us. On the 22nd, I will show her just how much she means to me.

Angela: You're NOT........

Marc: No, but it will be pretty dang close. Bought the ring when I was at my sister's last week. If you want to see it, go to the Kay website and search for 3/8 halo yellow gold. It's the second one from the left on the second row.

Angela: Have to do it later. Bae at 11:00.

Dani hugged both Angela and her dad tightly and thanked them for coming. She looked at Marc and wanted to thank him the same way, but with all the reporters in the room felt it was way too dangerous. Marc offered her a fist bump, which she reciprocated.

Marc: Fantastic job up there. You even got a couple of funnies into your opening, which I didn't expect.

Dani: Got a great teacher, and an even better work spouse.

Marc: Stop by when you finish up in here so I can properly express my thoughts. I have to catch Jamie and Lexi before they leave to get the wheels moving as to USC and Shauntelle.

Dani: See you in a bit.

Marc went over to the impromptu Dani Dillon Fan Club and asked Lexi and Jamie if they could meet him in his office in five minutes, to which both agreed.

**********

Once Jamie and Lexi arrived at Marc's office and had sat down, he told them the purpose of his request.

Marc: United Soccer Coaches wants me to do a presentation at Convention next month based on the underlying factors which caused students to get into the ring and its effect on their athletic performance. I wanted to offer you, Lexi, the opportunity to join me and Coach Dillon and, if you're willing, share your story of rebellion, downfall, and redemption.

Lexi: Can I have a couple of days to think about this? I'd like to talk it over with Cameron and Jordan before coming to a decision.

Marc said that would be fine and that he would respond to the organization stating he'd do it and give them a synopsis by the end of next week.

Marc: Jamie, if Lexi chooses to accept my offer, I'd like to have another player come as well, to offer a perspective from the outside of how the actions and activities of those who participated affected the team as a whole.

Jamie: What are you thinking as for funding this?

Marc: Probably easier for me to do the logistics through UCI as that's how I registered Dani and myself. As for reimbursement, let's take that up next week. Onto the other request I got. Shauntelle Harrington, a member of the US Diving Team at the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics, wrote to me in response to hearing about the scandal here. She asked if we'd have interest in her coming to Trinity to do a presentation on how her undiagnosed mental illness affected her athletic career and then led to her entering the world of adult entertainment after retiring from the sport. She also mentioned doing some one-on-ones with student-athletes related to those two topics.

Jamie: I would be very interested in having her speak here, but that's too big an ask for our department at this time.

Marc: I wasn't actually thinking of the athletic department itself sponsoring her visit. I know SAAC met on Tuesday, but would you be able to poll them about being a co-sponsor with my office and Student Health?

Jamie: Might take a few days for me to get enough of a consensus to give you an answer one way or the other.

Marc: I'm planning to write her back and set up a Skype call for Monday, where I'll get more information about what she's thinking and how to bring this together. Any questions?

Jamie: Nothing from me, which I'm GLAD is true. The past three weeks have been such an ordeal that I am thrilled to see this semester come to an end.

Lexi: I'm sure I'll have some if I decide to accept your offer, but nothing at the moment.

Jamie and Lexi rose and exited Marc's office. A short time later, Dani came walking in and closed the door behind her.

Marc: Did any of the reporters corner you after I left?

Dani: Eric Andrews from Wisconsin Soccer Central pulled me aside to ask a couple of questions pertaining to my previous stops in the game and my meteoric rise from Stritch player to Trinity head coach.

Marc: Eric's a good guy and an asset to the soccer community. Now, let's get to why I ask you to stop by.

Marc came out from behind his desk and walked over to Dani, then wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. She hugged him back before attacking his lips with hers.

Marc: I am so incredibly proud of you, princess. A year ago, you wouldn't have been able to do a presentation like that off-the-cuff and interject some comic relief as well.

Dani: You see, I have this guy who fills my heart with intense joy, who makes me believe I can do anything, and who loves me far beyond what I deserve or could ever give back to him.

Marc: I hope I get to meet him sometime.

Dani giggled at Marc, then gave him a light shove. "I think he's the one, and I hope I have a chance to tell him that soon."

Marc: You, my darling, are why I wake up with a smile on my face, why I'm willing to face my deepest fears, and why I will fight to the death anyone who seeks to separate us. I love you, Danielle Paige Dillon, and I will never stop showing you how much you mean to me.

The two of them moved their faces toward one another and exchanged a deep and heartfelt kiss, then another and another before returning to just holding one another.

Marc: What are your plans for the afternoon?

Dani: Nothing, really. Was wondering....with tomorrow being Dead Day and my already planning to stay Saturday night, would it be too much of an imposition for me to come home with you tonight and stay through the Christmas Eve service on Sunday evening?

Marc: I would NEVER turn down an opportunity to sleep next to you, to profess my undying love to you, or to see your beautiful face in the morning.

Dani: Let me go home and pack some clothes for the next few days, including my outfit for Saturday night. I'm sure you have some work to get done before Faculty Senate meets at 3:30. Pick me up when you're done here?

Marc: Sure. Makes no sense for you to take your car downtown tonight or to have it sitting in front of my place for three days unused. Faculty Senate should finish around 5:00, which means I'll be to your place around 5:20 give or take. Get downtown, do dinner at the restaurant inside the DoubleTree, then walk the couple of blocks over to Centennial Hall. The lecture is at 8.

Dani gave Marc a peck on the lips, then whispered, "I'll miss you until I see you again, my love." Marc smiled at her, then watched her walk out of his office. He returned to his desk and replied to Vince Gandolf and Shauntelle Harrington's emails from yesterday before closing up shop and going to Luther's Landing for a quick bite to eat.

**********

John Gruber's presentation on the history and potential rebirth of socialism in Milwaukee mayoral politics having come to a close, Marc walked toward the front of Centennial Hall, with Dani catching up to him a few seconds later.

Kailen: Deacon Schmidt, Coach Dillon. Didn't know you were coming tonight.

Marc: I like John Gruber and the subject of "sewer socialism" has been one of interest to me for a long time. Besides, it gave me an excuse to see your mom.

Teri Short wrapped up her conversation with her aunt Anita and turned to see with whom her daughter was speaking.

Marc: Hi, Teri. It's been a while.

Teri: Too long in my opinion, Marc. Heard you're a bit of a Yente in your new job.

Marc: I'm not THAT much of one. Just use what I see and help people get together.

Teri introduced herself to Dani, then asked what her connection to Marc was.

Dani (to Marc): You OK with me saying it, since we're off-campus and not at a synod event?

Marc: Yes, dear.

Dani: First connection is that I played for his summer league team while in college.

Teri: MUSC?

Dani: Yes. The next is his being my mentor and soccer guru at Trinity.

Kailen: She was officially named head coach this morning and knocked the presser out of the park.

Teri: Congratulations.

Dani: Thank you. It was an honor to be chosen by our new athletic director to lead the program.

Teri: Looking at the two of you, I can't help but wonder if you're dating or not.

Marc: We are. A good portion of the student-athletes know as do a few of the faculty, but we're not yet "out" at Trinity. Plans are to take that step on the 18th at the university holiday party. I don't know what this gem of mine has up her sleeve to announce it to her Instagram world, but it will probably top what she posted after we made our commitment to each other a couple of months ago.

Kailen grinned at hearing confirmation of what she suspected. "Knew it, and I have to say that you two look so happy together."

Dani: Like you seemed to be with Shelley at the GAA banquet?

The freshman went shy in response to Dani's question.

Teri: I'll take that as a yes from my daughter. I'm looking forward to meeting Shelley tomorrow and seeing what exists between the two of them.

Kailen: Speaking of her, I saw that her dad is coming to Trinity to coach women's basketball.

Marc: I'm glad Coach Krueger was able to get the two coaches I recommended to her. Hey, I'd like to keep talking with the two of you, but I don't want to take up all of your time. Meet us at Bar Louie's on Water when you finish?

Teri: Sounds good. Neither Kailen nor I got much of a chance to eat before coming here, and as tomorrow is Dead Day, there's no rush for us to get back to Anita's.

Marc and Dani said their temporary farewells and left Centennial Hall for the short drive over to Bar Louie.


	91. Dead Day Escapades

Study Day at Trinity allowed a number of students to head home for a three-day weekend or enjoy some weekday time off-campus. Erin, Steph, and Cali headed to Brookfield Square with the two Matts and Julie Koerner to do some Christmas shopping for their birth and chosen families. As they strolled the mall, the four women popped in and out of stores with their menfolk carrying the goods they procured. With a good portion of the names on their lists bought for, the group went to Red Robin for lunch.

Cali (to Steph): I got to quizzing Dani at Thanksgiving dinner about your upcoming trip to Vancouver. She said Marc doesn't give away whose wedding he is doing until after the fact. Can I get a HINT of who the two brides are?

Steph: They both play for the Philadelphia Hearts in NWSL.

Cali: Big help you are! Half that team or more are together.

Steph: Well, you know that Becca and EJ are married, as are Hoodrat and Kratcheeta and Mo and Sammy Jo. There are three other engaged couples on the team, and he's been asked to do two of their weddings so far, this one in Vancouver and another in Atlanta on Valentine's Day.

Erin heard her phone chimed, then looked at the message she received.

DeaconSchmidt: Got Ali's list of the wedding party. Big names up and down the line. You and Steph have met several of them (Becca, EJ, D-Math, and Carm Moscato), but the ones you haven't are heavy hitters (Erin McLeod, Shelina Zadorsky, Georgia Simmerling, and Ashlyn Harris). Already getting a little nervous about meeting the three Canadian medalists. Keep this under wraps, of course. Hope you're having fun with the family and I'll see you at dress rehearsal later.

Steph: Who was that?

Erin: Marc. He sent me the list of the wedding party for the 31st, and it dwarfs the stature of the brides from Marriagepalooza.

Erin passed her phone to Steph so she could see the list.

Steph: No joking! Also find it a bit interesting that they each have their last girlfriends standing up for them.

Cali: Give me SOMETHING, pleeeeeeeeease?!

Erin: OK. I'll give you two of the eight, but that's all. Diana Matheson and Shelina Zadorsky.

Matt O.: Why does Marc keep such tight wraps on the identities of those he marries?

Steph: You just heard Erin mention two members of the wedding party, who are the captain and vice-captain of the Canadian Women's National Soccer Team. The wedding he did in January involved two of the biggest names in the US soccer world, Alex Morgan and Ashlyn Harris. If any of the details of that had gotten out ahead of time, the USC Convention would have been overrun with paparazzi. Bad enough the Philly one ended up getting out of our control because one of the local stations had spied the rehearsal by way of a camera which overlooked JFK Plaza.

Julie could definitely identify with the fear of media intrusion given her sister's marriage to Max Scherzer. "I for one think that Deacon Schmidt is right to protect the identities of the participants in high-profile weddings. My sister was lucky that her husband Max was from St. Louis and thus they could do the wedding back home during his off-season, away from the nosy national newshounds."

Erin patted Julie's leg, being supportive of her sharing such a personal thing with the rest of the table, then asked her to join her for a powder. Once the two of them were in the restroom, Erin started to speak.

Erin: That was brave of you to talk about your connection to fame, albeit in a roundabout way.

Julie: I did it for a couple of reasons. One, I wanted to support what Marc does, especially after Matty Boy asked about the why of it. Second, I wanted to drop a nugget out there that might cause him to make a bit of a play on me.

Erin: You serious about maybe liking the semi-evil man child Marc's sister spawned?!

Julie: Yes. He's not ALL bad. Just needs someone who can control him and keep his feet on the ground most of the time.

Erin: Like Coach Dillon does to Marc?

Julie: Yeah, you could say that. I got to see his protective side when we talked about his mom's pending divorce and how his sister was dealing with the loss of her stepdad's two kids from the house. I'm willing to give him a chance to prove himself to me because I know you, Steph, and Marc will be all over him if he louses up or comes remotely close to doing so.

Erin: I've got something to discuss with you when we get back to campus. Steph, Cali, and I are doing something with Matt's mom next Friday in support of our favorite Trinity couple and I think I'd like you to be involved as well if you and him are possibly going to be a thing.

Julie: Better get back out there or else they might leave us here.

Erin: Can't do that since I have the car keys.

Julie and Erin returned to their table. After splitting the check between the six of them, they went into Barnes and Noble for a few minutes before driving back to Mequon.

**********

Over lunch at Blaze Pizza at Bayshore, Teri Short asked Shelley about herself and her feelings for Kailen.

Teri: Kailen gave me a very rudimentary description of you when she brought up your name last week while at home. Tell me in a few sentences about yourself.

Shelley: I'm a sophomore majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders. I am a central defender on Trinity's women's lacrosse team. I have two older sisters, Bridget and Lisa. My legal first name is Lara, with Shelley coming from my middle name Michelle. My dad was just hired as assistant women's basketball coach at Trinity, and my mom works for a public relations firm.

Teri: Are your parents aware of your sexual orientation?

Shelley: They both know, but they disagree on how I should deal with it. Dad is supportive and I know will like Kailen when they formally meet, which will most likely be next week now that he's working at TLU. Mom, on the other hand, is quite chilly with her opinion. She knows I'm gay, but doesn't want me to "waste myself on a woman" the way she feels my sisters are doing with their husbands.

Teri: Explain that, please.

Shelley: My mom is a throwback to the Middle Ages, where one's daughters were married off as a means of social mobility. With Bridget married to an architect and Lisa to an IT professional, I'm her last chance to have a daughter "marry up".

Teri looked at Kailen and shook her head slightly.

Kailen: She told me that the day Deacon Schmidt set us up to see one another at Stone Creek.

Teri: You know I'm always reluctant to let people find out about our legacy, first because we're not that close to it unlike Aunt Anita, and second because you don't know who your friends are when they learn to whom you're related or who you know.

Kailen: I like Shelley, a lot. I want us to be able to have a relationship that we aren't needing to hide from people. If my telling her our secret allows her to pacify her mom and thus she gets her off her back, the potential risk of her "using" me is one I'm willing to take. She's been gaga over me since the end of August, and that's without her knowing about this.

Teri: Whatever happens, it's on you, Kailen.

Shelley: What's this secret that might help me develop a relationship with Kailen without being slagged at home for it?

Kailen: You remember I told you I had an important event to go to last night with my mom and great-aunt?

Shelley: Yes.

Kailen: It was the Zimmer Memorial Lecture at the public library downtown, named in honor of former Milwaukee mayor Frank Zimmer, my great-aunt Anita's father.

Shelley sat silent for a few seconds as she tried to digest what she'd been told and connected the dots from what her girlfriend had told her.

Shelley: That would mean one of your mom's parents is also related to the former mayor.

Teri: Yes, Shelley. My maiden name is Zimmer. Frank was my grandfather. As you heard earlier, Kailen and I aren't as close to his past as my aunt is as his spiritual successor in the eyes of the public.

Shelley: Your daughter is quite precious to me, Mrs. Short. Learning this changes nothing about how I view Kailen or my current state of affection for her.

Teri: First, it's Teri. Second, now you know and can perhaps use it to your benefit.

Kailen: Deacon Schmidt and Coach Dillon were at the lecture last night as well and the four of us met up afterwards at Bar Louie. God are the two of them so bleepin' cute, even if he IS older than my mom and she's barely 25.

Shelley: So they ARE dating.

Kailen: In a manner of speaking. I don't think that will be the case when Spring semester starts if his conversation with Coach Krueger and others at yesterday's press conference is anything to go by. Mentioned getting a ring for her while at his sister's place last weekend.

Teri: Now, about the two of you. I see the spark between you, the impulse reaction you each have to the other person's look, touch, and presence. You have time to build your relationship into something strong and long-lasting. No need to rush it. I guess that's my seal of approval.

Kailen: Thanks, Mom.

Shelley: Thank you, Teri.

After leaving the mall, Teri dropped Kailen and Shelley off at Anita's place, then left to return to Monona Grove. The pair went in and spent the rest of the afternoon together, with Shelley leaving for home around 5:00.

**********

At the Pleasant Prairie Premium Outlets near Kenosha, Alyssa, Kristie, and Sam got four-stone necklaces for themselves and Amanda at the Kay Jewelers Outlet, with each one set up with the woman's on the far right, her sister's the far left, and the inside ones next to their partner's. Lauren and Kelley got dresses for the January 10th New Year's Redux celebration, while Katelyn and Abby spent more time than they expected in the Ghiradelli outlet store, sampling the variety of chocolate. Meanwhile, Morgan and Sarah Kilgore went to the Shops at Johnson Creek with Maggie, Savannah, Katie, and Brooke. Everyone was back to campus by 4:00, allowing several of them to get a bit of rest and dinner before the Christmas Eve dress rehearsal at 6.


	92. Comprehensives

Marc and Dani were in bed winding down from the day, with her head under his chin.

Marc: You're adorable, you know that? Being that we're probably going to have a time after tomorrow night's date, nothing tonight, OK?

Dani: Sorry, baby. The monthly visitor says otherwise. We've been together now for more than a year and you haven't figured out my menstrual cycle yet?

Marc: Guess we haven't been around each other when she's been in town.

Dani: Since this is the last night we'll have together before the gauntlet of holiday celebrations starts, let's get some things figured out about each other so neither of us is at a loss when an unexpected question comes up. You can start.

*Marc: If you could go back in time and erase one day from your life, which would you choose?

Dani: May 14, 2014. 'Nuff said.

Marc: Completely. For the longest time, I felt May 11, 1993 would be the one day I'd want to wipe off the calendar. Now, though, I would have to say November 2, 2016, the day I had my very first panic attack.

*Dani: If you could spend 24 hours as someone else, who would it be?

Marc: John Herdman.

Dani: Should have known. I'd want to spend a day in the shoes of Ashley Graham, just to experience what it would be like as a plus-size model.

*Marc: Over or under?

Dani: Definitely under. You?

Marc: Over. That is, if I even bother putting it on the roller in the first place.

*Dani: True.....Who would you consider to be a role model of yours?

Marc: There aren't many people I actually look up to, so this is a tough question. I'll say Herdman again. His "women leading women" motto for the Canadian National Team and its future was a major influence in how I built MUSC and the coaching module.

Dani: Mine would be Carla Overbeck, just because she took what she learned on the field with the National Team and converted it into a solid coaching career, albeit as an assistant.

*Marc: Worst clothing malfunction?

Dani: Week of 8th grade graduation. First time a lot of my classmates would see me in something other than jeans and sneakers. Mom insisted I wear heels even though I had never done so up until then, preferring flats, sandals, and wedges.

Marc: And I love how you look in all of them.

Dani: She also sort of forced me into a maxi dress, stating it would hide my unsteadiness from public view. I also think she wanted to hide my combination legs, where the lower were fairly built but the upper had a bit of chunk. Anyways, we had dress rehearsal the day before and I brought the new shoes with me, a pair of Michael Kors 3" pumps that had absolutely NO ankle support, trying to get a slight bit of practice in them before the big to-do.

Marc: And that was the problem. First-timer, you needed an ankle strap or a chunkier heel or something, otherwise you're wobbling all over the place unsure of how to step.

Dani: Stop cutting me off, stud! Back to the story. My jeans that day were a little on the long side, which was fine with my tennis shoes but not with these, as the cuff could get caught under the heel, which is what happened. I ended up ripping the bottom of my pants AND breaking the heel on my left shoe, which led to a pratfall in the aisle.

Marc cringed at the mental imagery of his beloved's tumble and pecked her temple as a sign of empathy.

Marc: That is pretty bad, and your mom was NUTS to make you go that route with no experience. Mine isn't to that level, but the venue and time of year made it worse than it probably was. In 4th grade, I went winter camping at Kettle Moraine for a couple of days with other students from Garfield. Me being as uncoordinated as I am, I fell a whole bunch of times while trying to cross-country ski. Somehow, my pants ended up splitting from the zipper down past the knee on my right leg, straight down the seam. Having that skin exposed to like 20 degree temperatures, not fun. In 5th grade, took snow pants with me on the trip.

*Dani: Favorite position?

Marc: Ooooo.....girlfriend interested in learning my kinks?

Dani: I know some of them, but yeah. Which position gives you the most pleasure or best orgasms or makes you feel most connected to me?

Marc: From a physical standpoint, reverse cowgirl because it allows me to get more involved in the full act of lovemaking than some of the other ones, and because you get the best grip on him in that position. Emotionally, it's missionary as you wrap me up so dang tight with your legs and quim, plus offer me a lot of non-verbal and verbal encouragement, like the locked-in eyes at the end of the primer. I'm also becoming partial to the interlocked fingers while you're on top, because you are just SO GOOD at riding me until I blow up inside you.

Dani: My faves are the same, tiger. I love reverse because I truly enjoy your touch and the gentleness you express with it and how you're not afraid to let yourself go. The part where I lean back against you and we get face-to-face is my favorite way to make love with you. The end segment, where we either lock eyes or lips and I coax you to cum in and with me, what I feel in those moments I can't describe.

The two of them looked at each other and exchanged a deeply-felt kiss.

*Marc: What was your first thought of me after we got reacquainted? Can be from either that first run-in in Albrecht or lunch the next day.

Dani: Once the shock of seeing you wore off and you indicated a desire to spend time with me catching up, I believe my initial thought was "At least I'll have ONE person here I know". This was before finding out Kara and Casey were in the athletic department. After taking you up on your offer and the good time I had with you, that changed to "Friend and mentor for sure, but maybe.....". That's why I ended up pecking your cheek when we went our separate ways after lunch.

Marc: It took all my inner strength to not hug you immediately after seeing you that Thursday. As I was walking back to my table to have lunch with Erin, I think what ran through my mind was first "Is this for real, and did I actually DO that?!", meaning take the initiative in wanting to develop something, then "Let's see where this goes." After lunch the next day, while we were walking to our split-off point, I looked you over pretty intensely and my thoughts went to you being cute like the girl next door but possibly having an adventurous side below the surface. I got knocked for a loop the next two weeks or so because I hadn't before been in the position of being the pursued and didn't honestly know how to handle it.

Dani: Which is why you literally froze up the first time we had sex in your office.

Marc: But that changed when you went reverse on me and leaned back against my shoulder.

*Dani: And you let yourself go, expressing your lust for me. FMK. Your three are Katelyn, Christen, and Kailen.

Marc: Not easy. As I said a few weeks ago, I'd like Katelyn as a one-off, but in this scenario she'd be the one to marry, Kailen and her smoke show of a body the one to fuck, and fuck, and fuck, with Christen being sent overboard. Your choices are Lexi, Lauren, and Sam Mueller.

Dani: Lexi dies, Lauren gets the ring, and I'd make Sammy melt under my touch.

*Marc: What is your karaoke go-to song?

Dani: "I Will Survive".

Marc: Interesting choice. Wouldn't have thought that for you, but I can see the symbolism behind it. Mine is "Fantasy" by Earth, Wind, and Fire.

Dani: Let me guess.....you try to hit the high note at the end?

Marc: Naturally.

*Dani: Since we're on music, what concert is on your bucket list?

Marc: Chicago and Earth, Wind, and Fire. They pair up every three or four years. Don't know if 2020 will be one of those years or not.

Dani banked away Marc's answer so she could check on it when she had time alone.

Dani: Can't decide between NSYNC, 98 Degrees, and Boyz II Men.

*Marc: All a little older than your time, but then again you are a bit of an old soul, precious. What do you consider your worst physical feature to be?

Dani: My skin. Always worried about it breaking out at the wrong time.

Marc: My feet. They get so scaly and the right one is out-of-balance because the heel has come out from under the rest of it.

*Dani: What is something you're bad at, but don't care?

Marc: Public speaking. Odd, right, since I'm such a cut-up? I can't do the extemporaneous type of speech, where I just let loose with whatever I want to say.

Dani: I wouldn't call it odd. You being off-the-cuff funny and you having to script out your homilies and speeches, that's just you. Always has been since I've known you. I'd say dancing. I love the slow stuff with you, where it's less about the right steps and more about sharing the time and space, but I can't really shake it on the floor.

*Marc: When did you fall for me?

Dani: The first time or this time?

Marc: There was a first time?!

Dani: Yes, you goof! I crushed on you during our time together at the club. Again, you always treated me with respect and caring and I wondered if, were I more assured of what you might think, we could be friends or something beyond that. As for when in our relationship I fell in love with you, it was the night you came down to Bayshore and we talked about what was happening with Carli and the rumors swirling around our team. You didn't have to make the trip. An email would have been sufficient and I'd have stopped by to see you the next day after my workout with Steph and Alyssa. That respect you had for me, which I have now seen displayed in a number of places and with a variety of people in the 13 months since then, it touched me in the heart. So did you calling me your work wife and trusting me to be frank about your wandering eye. After we parted in the parking garage, I drove away knowing that I loved you and was willing to backtrack on our no-commitment agreement if you felt the same way about me. Then, I more or less told you so the next day when we went to lunch.

Marc: I told you that day that I was falling for you, but it actually happened the night before. When we were outside your car and embraced, then pecked one another, I wanted to go deeper, further, to express that I was in love with you.

Marc leaned down and brought his lips to those of his lady, then played with her hair as they kissed.

*Dani: I love you, Marc, and I want to be your work AND home wife if you will have me as such. On the subject of family and the future, would you be open to adoption if we were unable to have a child of our own?

Marc: Yes, I would. I've been open with you in the past about my surgery and I feel you need to know a bit more. Besides the nerve damage, the undescended testicle had atrophied. Getting it out allowed the other one to work at peak capacity, but it didn't increase the amount of testoterone I'm able to produce. I had some testing done and was found to be on the low end of normal but my swimmers have low motility, meaning they don't move around much or get very far in their trip to the egg.

Dani: Guess we're on the same page there and know what the likelihood is of a successful conception, and I will NOT allow certain individuals to judge us for going that route.

*Marc: Describe your dream vacation.

Dani: You, me, dropped in the middle of a major city with an endless expense account.

Marc: The two of us spending a month in Australia, preferably in the summer of 2023.

Dani: Women's World Cup, I'm guessing.

Marc: Give my sweetheart a cigar. You are correct.

*Dani: What is the greatest gift you've ever received?

Marc: Tickets to the Indianapolis 500 from my in-laws.

Dani: Sweeeet. Mine was front-row seats for "Phantom of the Opera" at the Marcus Center.

*Marc: What is something you consistently procrastinate doing?

Dani: Balancing my checkbook. I know in general how much I have, but I don't keep track on a day-to-day basis or reconcile my receipts with the bank's ledger.

Marc: Not a chronic bouncer, are you?

Dani: No. I don't let my account get close enough to 0.00 that I have to worry about going over.

Marc: The biggest thing I put off and put off is making phone calls. If I could do all my communication via text and email, that would be perfect.

*Dani: Which real-life or fictional couple do you think our relationship most resembles?

Marc: The obvious would be Tim and Jill Taylor, but I'm going to say........Doug Ross and Carole Hathaway from "ER". The two of them look sort of similar to the two of us, he slightly-grizzled and a bit of a playa and she with the bright eyes and hair her man would want to play with.

Dani: If you eliminate the age gap, I think Jesse and Becky from "Full House" resembles us. You the showman and me the more sensible one, but the chemistry.....WOOOOOOOO! If the gap is in play, it's McDreamy and Grey from "Grey's Anatomy".

*Marc: Last one from me. What is your 5-year career plan?

Dani: Undecided on where I'd like to be by the end of 2024. I plan to still be coaching, but whether it's here or at one of the D-I's I don't know. With a shake-up coming in the athletic department and an opening in its administration after next school year, I might want to reconsider my grad program and go instead into Sports Administration so I have an opportunity to be considered for said opening.

Marc: I love what I'm doing and I would presume I'd get a second four-year call to serve here as chaplain since Paul would be able to make that decision prior to the election for Bishop at the 2022 Synod Assembly. I can also see being more involved in the athletic department as the next five years play out. I don't plan to look away from here for another job and I'm not particularly desiring to leave Milwaukee unless the gig is too good to pass up, like replacing Jenn Healey as national LCM head.

*Dani: Final question. What is your wildest fantasy?

Marc: You might not like this, my little nymph. You, me, Erin, Steph, your FMK 3, and my FMK 3. One night only engagement. Make that two nights. Heck, let's book it for a week.

Dani: 9 girls and you, none of whom are above 25?!?!

Marc: It's a fantasy. No way it becomes reality. I can't go more than two rounds with you without needing to let Mini-Me rest, so what makes me think I could do six or seven?

Dani: I've already lived out one of mine when I had my way with you after the Homecoming dance. My newest one is to have you watch me and another woman have at it.

Marc: Name the time and place.

Dani: Well, that's 20. Learn anything important about me, about us?

Marc: Yes, I did. You?

Dani: Oh yeah.

Marc: Ali wrote me back today with the list of her and Steph's wedding party. Of the eight women standing up for them, six have Olympic hardware and a seventh has a World Cup championship to her credit.

Dani: Nervous?

Marc: A bit. Upside is I've met more than half the group and done weddings involving four of them. Interesting thing about their party is that both Ali and Steph's most recent partners before each other are in it. I've sent emails to the eight brideswomen seeking reflections from their times with the couple and how they got to this moment. I'll be rewriting the homily next week after I get their responses.

Dani wove her fingers between Marc's and squeezed his hand lovingly. The hour growing late, he turned out the light and the two moved to spooning, with his arms firmly around her torso and his head buried into her hair and neck.

Marc: Sleep well, princess. I love you.

Dani: I love you too, my sweet babboo.


	93. Table For Eight

When Marc and Dani arrived at Pizza Man for their four-couple date with her sisters and their men, Nicole and Zach were already there. The two women looked each other over while Marc and Zach introduced themselves to one another.

Dani: You're looking pretty good, sis.

Nicole: Glad the weather cooperated so I could wear this tonight. You, on the other hand, I see you didn't heed Liv's warning about trying to steal our men. Dang are you smokin'!

Dani: Thank you, but I'm not on the prowl for YOUR men. Only interested in turning MINE on. I had another outfit ready to go, but the monthly visit came so I had to go with something that, like you, could be worn without tights.

Angela and Brent arrived next, with her going over by Nicole and Dani and him toward Marc and Zach. She gave her sisters a once-over before speaking.

Angela (to Dani): Who are you, and what did you do with my baby sister?!

Dani smirked and giggled a little at Angela's question. "Still me, Ang, just with a lot more confidence and a much happier attitude than in the past."

After Olivia and Shawn showed up, she went to the hostess and let her know their entire party was there. Following a wait of around five minutes, the eight of them were shown to a table and seated. 

Marc: Have any of you been here before?

Nicole: Once, with some friends from work.

Marc: So you know about the extensive wine cellar, then.

Nicole: Yeah. Main reason we came that night was for the chance to get a bit lit on the vino. You a regular?

Marc: Hadn't been to this location before, but I went on-and-off to the one on Oakland and North before the fire. The image on the wall behind you is from the outside of the old location.

Olivia: Before I forget, let me comment on the SMOKE the other three ladies have brought tonight. Deuce, I see you didn't take my advice from Thanksgiving evening.

Dani: As I told Nicki, I didn't wear this to turn YOUR men on, only MINE.

Angela: Now, let's down to the REAL reason Liv wanted to do this couples' date, to put Marc and Zach on the spit.

Brent: Marc, Dani mentioned at Thanksgiving that you're doing a wedding in Vancouver just after the holidays. She also said you don't tell anyone outside those going with you who the couple is until after the event, which to me seems a little bit odd.

Marc: As you're well aware, the weddings I'm asked to perform involve current or former professional athletes, most typically lesbian couples. They can range from my first one, which was a pair of players from FC Kansas City, to the Philadelphia event, which got out of our control because the Hearts were promoting it and one of the local stations caught a few seconds of the rehearsal during their 11am newscast from their JFK Plaza sky cam. Not 15 minutes later, they had a reporter on-site wanting interviews once we had concluded. The one I did at the USC Convention in January was for two of the biggest names in US Soccer and if word had gotten out that Alex and Ashlyn were doing their second ceremony there, paparazzi would have been all over McCormick Place.

Brent: No kidding. Didn't believe your girl when she mentioned it after coming back from Chicago, but you've confirmed it's true.

Marc: As I told Dani last night, one of the brides sent me a list of their wedding party yesterday. The LEAST-accomplished of that list is an NCAA champion and two-time Defensive Most Outstanding Player at the College Cup. Of the other seven, six are Olympic medalists and one has a World Cup championship to her credit. Six of the eight are Canadians, as is one of the brides. Now, I'm not expecting that any of you will be calling the CBC and informing them of these nuptials, but you never know whose ears might pick up something and decide otherwise.

Olivia: Zach, how did you and Nicole meet?

[Zach]: Pretty random occurrence. Check-out line at the Sendik's up the block. She was in front of me and had forgotten something on her list. Asked me if I'd protect her spot while she ran to get it. Came back. I thought she was cute but probably a tease, so I didn't say anything then. After I checked out and left the store, I saw she was walking the same direction I was headed, so I followed her. Caught up to her and we talked a bit. I asked her out and that's the extent of the story.

Dani: That is pretty random. Guessing the two of you don't live that far apart.

Nicole: Maybe the equivalent of one block. I'm north of Park on Hackett, he's south of it.

Shawn: Looks like my brother helped you guys rat out the illegal activity with the Trinity athletes.

Marc: Definitely! Indirectly, he was responsible for Dani getting the head coaching job after the prostitution ring was busted. He gave me the police reports from Glendale's sweep and I read over the one on Coach Manning. After seeing she paid the fine, which is more or less an admission of guilt, I handed it to the interim AD who decided to sack her when she opened her remarks at the press conference on the 18th.

Olivia: Is everything wrapped up with that?

Marc: Not exactly. The 26 student-athletes implicated in it have been disciplined, but I'm expecting a couple to flip on others who were involved in an attempt to get their penalties reduced. Anything from that won't be taken up until Spring semester commences. So what do you do, Zach?

[Zach]: I'm a medical technologist at Columbia/St. Mary's.

Marc: Very nice. Graduate from UWM in Biomedical Sciences?

[Zach]: Yes. How do you know about the program?

Marc: My late wife was in it. Got her degree and went on to work for MCW at the VA Medical Center.

Brent: Angela showed me what you got Dani for Christmas. You're seriously raising the ante of what we need to do for our ladies.

Dani: I can't get him to tell me what it is, just that he bought it last week up in Minnesota.

Marc: What can I say? I saw it and was inspired to get it for her. She didn't want me to get her anything to signify our commitment when I gave her the earrings and necklace for her birthday, so I told her I'd do something bigger for Christmas.

Nicole: And I responded to the picture of them saying you had good taste.

Dani: I am HOPEFUL that Friday will finally end this knock-down-drag-out I've been having with Mom over Marc. Cali and I are meeting with her and Aunt Judy for lunch, with a few surprise guests.

Angela: Why am I not liking the sound of that? Looks more like an ambush than a clearing-the-air get-together.

Dani: Our family has gotten absolutely nowhere with swaying them, so I'm enlisting his to do it. His sister has to come down the end of next week to pick up Matty Boy for semester break, so her and I have decided to spring an intervention. The crew will be her, her daughter Sam, Erin, Steph, and maybe another person.

Marc: Julie?

Dani: Yes. Cali said the spitfire cherub approached her about the possibility after they returned to campus from Brookfield Square yesterday.

Olivia: Why do you think they will do better in straightening the two of them out than we have?

Dani: Laurie, Erin, and Steph will all admit that Marc's an asshole at times, which should get them onto the ladies' good side. The plan is for her to chide me a little in a joking manner about putting up with him, then moving along to what she has seen concerning the two of us from the days following Danielle's stroke and passing and our time with her and the family at the Minnesota State Fair.

Angela: Steph just looks like someone you don't want to cross with the tats and the muscles. I've already gotten a taste of Erin's don't-fuck-with-my-people vibe. If his own sister is willing to admit that Mom and Aunt Judy are sort of right about him, then contradict that opinion with her own live-and-in-person impressions of the two of you together, it might do the trick.

Dani: Truth is the only time Mom has seen me with him since the club folded was when he helped Michelle and I move into the house in Brown Deer. As for Aunt Judy, she's only seen us together on-campus after games, when we have to be sort of distant with each other. That's why we did the fist-bump after the presser on Thursday instead of something more personal.

Angela: Speaking of that, you were AWESOME up at the podium. Not at all like most people who knew you before getting to Trinity would think.

Dani: I said it at the end of my remarks and I stand by it. Nearly all of what I've become in the past 15 months or so is a direct result of Marc's love and belief in me.

Dani leaned over and pecked his cheek, drawing a bit of ribbing from her sisters.

Olivia: WE see it. Hell, anyone who doesn't after spending ten minutes with the two of you has to be blind.

Nicole: Sis, I have to say I agree with Ang and Liv. There's no denying you and Marc are completely taken by each other.

Brent: The men realize the profound effect he's had on you and what the two of you share makes you BOTH better people than you'd be alone.

Angela: As the eldest, I should be the one to officially welcome you to the family. Still have to win over Mom, but she's going to have to deal with it since the rest of us disagree with her opinion about your relationship.

Marc: Thank you, Angela. Your sister is the perfect partner for myself and I cherish her more than you'll ever know.

[Zach]: I hope I can feel for Nicole what you do for Danielle.

Marc: Love is an action verb, not a being one. Express it through what you say and do, rather than what you expect your feelings to be.

Dani thwaped Marc.

Marc: Ow! What'd I do?

Dani: You were lining up to drop the do-be-do-be-do line you used in your very first sermon at Trinity last August.

Marc: Why you rain on my parade?

Dani: Because I don't want my sisters exposed to your brand of humor just yet.

Marc: Fair enough.

Angela: Before we go, can I get a couple of pix?

Everyone moved to one side of the table, with Angela sitting in the middle, Olivia on her right, and Nicole on her left, with their guys standing behind them and Marc and Dani squeezing in at one of the corners. Once everyone was set, Angela took a few selfies of the group. Following a few keystrokes, the pictures were up on Instagram.

ADStruye: #sistersandmisters Date night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It seems as though real life has made some of the pieces in the previous chapters of this and the first two books problematic to maintain as the story goes forward. Rather than blow up a good portion of the plot and do a complete 180 on what has been written in the past two or three weeks of story time, I will be making some changes regarding one of the characters and her circle of influence (names and back story). Over time, I will probably go back and edit the previous chapters, but for now it will only be future chapters that will have the shift. The hard copy of the (so-far) trilogy will be edited from Day One to reconcile the changes.


	94. Test Your Mettle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the first chapter with the set of replacement characters. The Dillons are out and replaced by the Sweets. Parents are Sheila and Doug, with daughters Kaitlin, Jackie, Andrea, and Beth (youngest-->oldest). Katie's best friend and housemate is Aubrey Bayer, with whom she attended Shorewood High School and Lawrence University. Hopefully, the switches won't be too confusing. The manuscript for Book One has been completely revised to reflect these changes and I plan to, over time, fix the chapters online to reconcile them to the new characters.

Finals Week at Trinity got off to a bang for Erin and Cali, as each of them had 7:30 exams on Monday morning. Marc's hopes for this first day of an easier-than-average week were to revise the homily for Ali Krieger and Steph Labbe's wedding ceremony and speak via Skype with Shauntelle Harrington about coming to TLU in January or February for a discussion on mental health and the consequences of bad choices resulting from poor management of it. Both of those tasks got placed on the back burner when Julie Koerner came by at 9:30.

Julie: Deacon Schmidt, do you have a few minutes?

Marc: Come on in.

After Julie sat down, Marc asked what was on her mind.

Julie: I can use a bit of, I don't know, older man advice concerning semester break and where I am heading into it.

Marc: I guess I qualify as an older man. Do you want standard chaplain advice, or something more individualized, like one would get from a non-parent parent-type?

Julie: The second, because some of this has to do with your goofy nephew.

Marc: Fire away.

Julie: I like him, and he's come to find an appreciation for me. Whether it's due to my claim to fame or not, I really don't care at the moment. You know my family is LCMS, but there's more to it than that. My dad, as you're aware, is a lay professional in the church, while his father and uncle are retired LCMS pastors. Both of my sisters have in essence run from the hard line my dad takes regarding our lives and responsibilities of moral uprightness given his position. He has been verbally abusive to all of us in the past and emotionally so toward our mom. How do I go about: 1) Telling them I am strongly considering a switch to the ELCA; and 2) That I'm sort-of-not-quite-but-possibly seeing someone who isn't as religious as I but has a trump card we can utilize to get him over with them?

Marc: If you remember, I said when you first asked me about him that he'd like me to snowplow for him but I wouldn't do that. In this case, he needs my clout to even get in the front door with the hardliners in your family tree, so I'm not averse to you dropping my blinged-out cross on the table as an endorsement of Matt. Give the truth about him, me, and his mom. If you need more details on her, ask away.

Julie: That won't be necessary. Erin's invited me to join her and Steph for lunch with his mom on Friday.

Marc: Did she tell you WHY they're getting together, because from what I know it won't be the standard gathering?

Julie: No. She just said to meet her here at 10:00.

Marc: Hmmmm. Wondering if she's called a pow-wow with everyone to get ish lined up prior to Laurie driving down on Thursday.

Katie and Steph came into Marc's office and went directly to the work table at the far end, with Julie joining them.

Marc: It looks like my goddaughter has decided to volunteer my office for a meeting of the minds. Care to fill me in on what's up?

Katie got up and walked behind Marc's desk, then laid a kiss on his cheek. "She thought those who would be helping Cali and I with the intervention on Friday should get on the same page and go over what the problems are and how we plan to resolve them, plus plan out the timing."

Marc: Ah, yes. I have a Skype call at 11 with Shauntelle, so I'll plug in my earbuds if you're still in session at that time. Just hope I don't end up distracting you with my half of the conversation.

Erin and Cali arrived and joined the other three at the table. Erin got her laptop started and called Laurie, getting a response from her quickly.

Laurie: Is everyone here for Operation BTHO?

Erin: Yes, and we have an extra. Julie Koerner, meet Laurie. What last name are you going by now?

Laurie: Olson, since it's the same one as Matt and Sam have.

Julie: As I've said to Erin in the past, I've always wanted to meet the woman who was responsible for the creation of the son of a devil that I might have a soft spot for.

Laurie: Ahhhh.....so you're the girl Marc told me about when he was up here for Thanksgiving. Pleased to know my little nerd hasn't scared the entire campus off in his first four months there.

Katie: Hi, future sister-in-law.

Laurie chuckled. "That confident you're going to be able to drag my brother to the altar in the near future?"

Katie: Confident of THAT, no. Confident that neither of us are going anywhere for the next 40 years or so? Yes.

Laurie: You better check with your man about that. He has always said he plans to rival Methuselah in longevity, so that would be.....920 years you'd have to put up with him if you don't die ahead of that.

Steph: Aunt Laurie, have you seen our game schedule for this season? We're playing at Hamline and Augsburg the last weekend of March.

Laurie: And you suppose I want to brave the questionable weather to see the two of you play? J/K, girls. Sam, I, and Becca will come for sure to the Hamline game, since Andrew's a student there.

Cali: Before we get down to the situation at hand, I'd like to thank everyone for helping Katie and I try to bring this tete-a-tete with our mothers to a conclusion.

Laurie: Anything for my new family of outlaws, and that includes you too, Cali.

Julie: Ms. Olson, I am quite surprised at the outflowing of love you seem to have for the other four at this table, despite the fact that you're related to none of them.

Laurie: Julie, no need to be formal with me. As for how I've come to consider them family, it's from understanding Marc's life and what was and wasn't in it. He and Danielle didn't have children of their own, so Erin became for them a substitute daughter, which I got to see up-close when I was in Milwaukee following her stroke and death. At that time, I also got the vibe about him and Katie being a possibility and told her so.

Katie: Since Erin called this, I guess she should lead off.

Erin: What is everyone's Friday schedule?

Laurie: I'm driving down Thursday afternoon, and the only time blocked out is a meeting with Financial Aid at 2:30.

The four students all said they had no exams, with Erin bringing up the Board of Trustees meeting at 9:30. Laurie and Katie agreed that everyone should meet for breakfast on-campus prior to that to finalize the plot.

Laurie: What Katie and I put together when we spoke last week was the need to get on the ladies' good side at the start and then bowl them over with real-life evidence of their being in the wrong concerning her and Marc.

Katie: My sisters are aware of how we plan to resolve this. I might want to invite my oldest one to join us, since she's already done one of these when the two of us tried to sell my dad on my relationship with the good chaplain. She's also the most-likely of my three sibs to jump in on our side and has known the longest about him and I. I also think she'd like to meet the person who birthed Mini-Marc.

Laurie: So part of this trip will be me helping you out and part will be apologizing to everyone for bringing Matt into the world?

Julie: As I told Erin on Friday, Matt isn't THAT bad. Just needs someone like Katie to keep him in check.

Laurie: And you think you can do that, Julie?

Julie: We'll find out, but I'm willing to give him a bit of a leash since I know others will be yanking on it if he gets to be a pest.

Laurie: That is true. Do we have a location set for the intervention?

Katie: Yes. Blue's Egg in Shorewood. It's on Oakland a couple of blocks north of Capitol.

Laurie: How close is it to Walgreens or Sendik's?

Katie: Marc, want to give us a little help with locating Blue's Egg related to things that used to be in the village? Address is 4195 N. Oakland.

Marc: TCF is just to the north of that. Baskin-Robbins was on the other side of Oakland when it existed.

Laurie: I can find it then with those as landmarks. The five of us, being me, Sam, Steph, Erin, and Julie, will arrive and get seated near 11:30, with the others setting up for Noon. Recognize one another, I drop something to break the ice around Sheila and Judy, then get them arguing against US about Marc and what they haven't seen that we have.

Julie: I'm looking forward to meeting Sam, since she's a pretty strong influence on how Matt views others.

Laurie: The two of them have always been somewhat close, without most of the sibling rivalry stuff that went on between Marc and I. Then again, neither one is as screwed-up in the head as him.

Marc: Love you too, sis!

Laurie: Everyone on-board for Friday?

After getting responses from everyone, Laurie asked Steph to pick a time and place for the breakfast run-through (8:00 at Siebert), then wished everyone well on their exams and hung up. The students left, leaving Katie and Marc a couple of minutes to talk before his call with Shauntelle was to commence.

**********

The rest of Marc's day went pretty swimmingly. Arrangements were tentatively made for Shauntelle Harrington's visit to Trinity (January 28-29, 2020, with presentations on Tuesday evening and Wednesday afternoon during Worship and one-on-ones on both days) and he incorporated the brideswomen's reflections and recollections into his wedding message, pulling heavily from Erin Mcleod, Carm Moscato, and Diana Matheson's front-row seats on the evolution of Ali and Steph's thoughts about and feelings for one another. With those two tasks completed, Marc closed up shop for the day and grabbed Matt for an early dinner at Water Street Brewery in Grafton.

Marc: All the family women were in my office this morning to talk with your mom about Friday's showdown with Katie and Cali's mothers. They seem to believe you and Julie are a bit of a something, since they've invited her to participate. Anything true about that?

Matt: Yes and no. We haven't decided that we're "together", but we did see each other a couple of times last week and talked a bit about this and that.

Marc: She came by to see me this morning as well, to get some semester break advice on how to break you to her family, so from her perspective you're someone she considers a suitor. Might want to clear that up before you leave on Friday.

Matt: Thanks for the heads-up there.

Marc: How do you feel about her?

Matt: I like her, I'll admit that. She's been getting a slight bit of a prodding from you, Erin, and Steph to interact with me, which I guess I appreciate. As for deep down, we haven't done anything yet that has given me any sort of "feel" for her.

Marc: That's fair. Since she's considering bringing you up to her parents and siblings, you should make sure she knows enough about you, both factual and emotional, to answer their questions or quiet their concerns. Same goes if she plans to involve herself on behalf of Katie or Cali.

Matt: There isn't a lot of time for me to rattle off my life story to her.

Marc: You don't need tons of time to both yield up a significant portion of your biography and learn important things about her. Block out a couple of hours, grab one of your rooms, and do "20 Questions." Katie and I did this on Friday night in preparation for going public in a little over a week. We needed to know enough about one another so we could answer questions from those unaware of our relationship.

Matt: What are some of the things you asked?

Marc: Things like, one day in your life you wished to erase, worst clothing malfunction, greatest gift received, and toughest decision you've ever made. But also questions about how one puts the toilet paper on the roller, FMK scenarios, go-to karaoke song, and worst physical feature. You can even have intensely personal questions such as first impressions, favorite sexual position, where you see yourself five, ten years from now, and qualities in a future mate. It's always good to mix up the levels of questions, so the other person can be serious, funny, and introspective.

Matt: So I have to come up with 20?

Marc: No. Total is 20, with each coming up with 10. The other version I use with her is Fast Five, which is as the name sounds, five questions a piece. Trick is you have to answer your questions as well. It gets you a lot of information in a short amount of time, and provides enough of a snapshot of someone to make reasonable decisions about that person.

Matt: Do you pre-plan or is it more spontaneous?

Marc: Mostly spontaneous, since you don't know what she'll ask you and it might provide for a good follow-up question. I like having maybe two of the ten pre-determined, so I'm not fumbling for a question if the previous one either doesn't lead to a follow-up or hits a sensitive spot. If doing it with Julie seems too nerve-wracking at the moment, try it out with Steph or Erin. They DO care about you, as they do about Julie, so a dry run with one of them might be worthwhile.

Matt: I'll stop by and see Erin and Cali when I get back. When are you coming up for Christmas?

Marc: Katie and I are traveling up on the 20th and back the 23rd, with the 22nd being the family celebration with Becca, Dennis, and the kids that usually happens on Christmas Day. Leaves us the 21st to do any last-minute shopping and perhaps take you, Sam, Andrew, and Stephanie out for lunch or dinner.

Matt: Steph mentioned on Friday why you keep tight wraps on who you marry and brought up the Philly wedding getting out of your hands because of media intrusion. Julie seemed to agree with her, even mentioning what sounded like her own brush with it concerning her sister and brother-in-law. Know anything about that?

Marc: I don't know if she would want that information to get out. Did she tell you anything that you could use to find out on your own or indicated an openness to letting you know?

Matt: The parts I remember are that his name is Max, he's from St. Louis, and is in some kind of profession that has an off-season and deals with the media.

Marc thought through what Matt told him and saw he could get the information if he wanted, but he could also ask her heads-on about it.

Marc: Your best bet in finding out is to ask her for clarification. What she said was enough to make her seem willing to let you know. Any exams tomorrow?

Matt: 7:30, 10, and 3.

Marc: Rough day. Try to move any of them prior to now?

Matt: No. That's possible?

Marc: Any time a student has three exams scheduled in one day, including all-section ones, he or she can have one of them moved to a different day. You're sort of in a bind right now given that you're slated for the first two time slots tomorrow, but all isn't completely lost. Who do you have for the three exams tomorrow?

Matt: First one is Intro to Writing with Professor Gaudet, second is The Bible with Dr. Sinclair, and the third is Macroeconomics with Dr. Metcalf.

Marc: Doesn't seem TOO hard since I'm sure the first one isn't really an exam, just turning in your final portfolio or paper. The other two profs don't need to know that, however. Which one do you want help moving?

Matt: The Bible, because I could use an extra day to brush up on the material and quiz my cousins about what I probably need to know.

Marc: I'd rather you not move that one because the exam will NOT be that hard, as Tom and I sort of co-wrote it to make sure it was in line with the requirements of the synod's Diakonia courses. If you want that one moved off to another time, I can drop him a note about your having three tomorrow and being unaware of the possibility to move one.

Matt: Then that might be the best to move anyway since I can spend all of tonight and tomorrow prepping for Econ and can talk to Erin tomorrow afterwards to get exam advice and do the run-through for my time with Julie later in the week.

Marc: Guess we should get you back to campus to get on with the getting on.

Marc and Matt made the trip back to Trinity both feeling a bit better about their relationship and the younger man's role in the lives of his uncle's inner circle.


	95. The Whole Famn Damily

On Tuesday morning, Lexi stopped by Marc's office and told him that she would be willing to share her story at the USC convention. He had her fill out the registration form on his laptop and then typed in the necessary payment information. He stated to her that he was going to bring an additional member of the team along as part of the presentation and to keep her company for the weekend and asked for a suggestion from her.

Lexi: Despite wanting my BFF Jordan there, or Cali, I think Erica Skidmore is the person you should ask. She's the team captain and thus can represent the vast majority of the squad that were affected by my actions and those of others.

Marc: I'll run it through Coach Sweet and Coach Krueger to get their opinions on her, but your logic is spot-on with what is needed from the fourth member of the presentation team. Her being one of the carryovers from Concordia gives her a much different perspective on how the ring started and its effect on the team the past two seasons. How are you doing personally now that the scandal has come more or less to a conclusion?

Lexi: Surprising well. The support I've gotten from Cam, Tori, and Jordan has been incredible, and the forgiveness and acceptance you and your little family gave me truly was a lifesaver. I wouldn't be so confident about letting the world know of my past indiscretions if it were not for the knowledge that you and Coach Sweet will be right beside me as I do it.

Marc: There is no way I'd ask you to do this without sufficient support not just before and during, but after as well. Anything else?

Lexi: I'm still a little bit hindered by my past lifestyle when it comes to moving the needle on being physical with Cam. I don't want him to feel like he HAS to touch me in certain ways to keep me, but I also want to get past the reticence I have to show him through action how I feel about him.

Marc pondered the bigger questions she hadn't asked related to the subject, then addressed her concerns.

Marc: I understand your dilemma. You want him to know you desire him and want him to feel comfortable in expressing his own physical love for you, but there are landmines in all directions. Act, and he might feel like you're not totally reformed. Don't act, and he gets the sense you've done a 180 on it and are with him because you DON'T have the urge to jump his bones. Meanwhile, he's being a gentleman and doesn't want you to feel like you HAVE to give up the goods given your past nor does he want whatever would happen to be in the same vein as when you were in the business. On your end, you probably have no experience with an emotional connection that spills over to the physical realm, with your past liaisons being transactional sex and not transformative. You'll have to lead sort of, because he's fraught with anxiety I'm sure about the matter, thus why he hasn't attempted to press forward. A clear sign of permission to touch you needs to be there, and he might not be too active the first time, but if you get him to believe you want him physically and you're serious about sharing your body with him, the next time he'll be more willing to initiate. Both of you probably have perceptions of one another that aren't exactly true, so talking this out before your first physical connection is something I'd recommend.

Lexi: Did you and Coach Sweet have to go through this in the beginning?

Marc: Yeah. As I said several weeks ago, my past left me pretty much impotent and I wasn't willing to risk failure to see if I could fix it. Katie had to lead and lead HARD to get me to acknowledge my desire for her and then to act upon it. Maybe talk to her and see if she'll share some of what happened and what her thinking was. She'll most likely be in the UCI office in Rincker all day if you want to catch her.

Lexi: Thanks, Marc.

Marc saw Lexi out of his office. About five steps or so down the hallway, she turned around and blew the chaplain a kiss wrapped in the ASL sign for "Thank You". He patted his heart and gave a small showing of heart hands in front of his chest for her.

**********

Other accomplishments:

* Jamie and Katie signed off on Erica attending USC with Marc and Lexi. Jamie also informed him that SAAC was overwhelmingly in favor of sponsoring Shauntelle Harrington's January 28th presentation.

* Student Health offered to host Shauntelle's one-on-one sessions on January 28th and 29th in the Student Health Center. Marc contacted its director, Erik Heyman, and inquired about holding her meetings in the athletic center as it would reduce if not eliminate the stigma associated with the get-togethers. Heyman called Jamie and secured a classroom for those two days.

* Katie's call to Beth resulted in her asking Andrea to meet her for lunch on Friday at Blue's Egg, where they would connect with Laurie and her brigade prior to the intervention.

**********

Katie, Erin, and Julie were in Marc's kitchen working on the food for this evening's Christmas gathering of his somewhat immediate family and their loves. Katie called Laurie on Monday night and lamented the lack of an opportunity for everyone to gather with her and Marc and celebrate the holidays, with Erin, Steph, and Julie heading away from Milwaukee on Saturday and Matt Benning not confirmed to be at the Sweet/Farmer Christmas at Jackie and Shawn's on the 25th. They discussed doing one on Thursday evening after she and Sam got to Milwaukee. It was also decided, after a bit of persuasion of Marc by Katie, that the two Olson women would stay with him that night, making it easier for everyone to head to Trinity on Friday morning.

Katie: Thank you for coming over to help me with this impulse decision of mine. After we talked on Monday morning with Laurie, I thought about her response to Julie on the bonds we have developed despite not being biological family aside from Cali and I. As we have become Marc's "family", spending time together as that unit, with or without others, has become important to me as his partner.

Erin: When I arrived at Trinity last August, I knew Marc and Danielle wanted to give me both a normal college experience and treat me like a surrogate daughter, so I'd stop over every couple of weeks, be it by myself or with Steph or others. They tried to give me special moments, but when Danielle started chemo, her health went downhill so far that it wasn't possible to do something special around Easter. Then the stroke and her passing left me and Marc pretty much isolated going forward. Luckily, you, Steph, and Cali heeded Marc's request to be part of the rebuilding process our lives would undertake. I am grateful for you, both as the older, wiser sister I never had and as the cool stepmom with XP.

Julie: I guess I'm not used to people seeking out one another and intentionally spending time together when there's no expectation of it. I told Marc several things when I met with him before the Skype call with Laurie, things I was worried about heading home for semester break. He's given me his imprimatur to lay down the Flavor Flav cross on my family's Christmas table to get Matt over with them, which I thought was really strange because of his desire to not have his position or clout used by others. Why would he grant me the ability to do that?

Katie: He's invested in you. Simple as that.

Julie: You're going to have to explain what you mean by that.

Katie: Go back over your conversations with him. What have they been about? What questions or statements did he make?

Julie: Some of it has been about the differences between the ELCA and LCMS and my distrust of church-based friendships, some about Matt, some about me and my family, including my brother-in-law's fame and the resulting impact it had on me related to the guys at my high school. Marc has been quite supportive of me, which has allowed me to be more forthright and open about what troubles me.

Erin: Based on that, he is doing with you the same thing he did with Steph and I last year and Matt over the past several months. He sees great potential in you and Matt as a couple and you as a future member of the family, but he also knows the obstacles that exist which could drive it off-track. I may know a little bit more about Marc's involvement because Matt stopped by last night. It was originally to get some guidance on what would be important to study for his Bible final this morning, but he also did a run-through with me and Cali of something he wants to do with you before you leave on Saturday.

Katie: 20 Questions?

Erin: Yep, but we did the shorter version, the Fast Five.

Katie: If that is his plan, Matt is serious about getting to know you and you him. Marc and I did the full 20 last Friday ahead of meeting my sisters for dinner the next evening and going public this coming Wednesday. It really gets you a lot of info on the other person in a fairly relaxed atmosphere.

Erin: Steph and I did it on the way to my parents' house for Fall break last year, because we wanted to be prepared when she met my folks that night and I met hers a couple days later. That one conversation laid the foundation for us to commit ourselves to each other.

Julie: How do I handle this? I'm not very good at sharing things about myself.

Erin: Follow his lead, whatever that happens to be. You have me, Cali, Steph, and Katie behind you and we're all meeting tomorrow for breakfast with Laurie and Sam, so if things don't go swimmingly tonight or he sits on the idea, you have a chance to vent about it with the rest of us.

Katie: One piece of advice for tonight. Don't fear Laurie. Yeah, she can be sarcastic and a bit of a toughie, but that's usually reserved for her brother, Matt, and Erin and Steph. Marc already thinks highly enough of you to share his impressions with Laurie of you and Matt. She was able to pick up on Marc and I having something stronger than friendship within several minutes of meeting me at the hospital the day Danielle had her stroke. She knows her boy and will give you all the room you need to make that good first impression tonight.

Marc and Steph arrived give or take 5pm, with Cali and the two Matts showing up around 5:15. Sam texted Erin that she and her mom were just getting off ST 175 at Washington Blvd, four blocks or so from the house. Steph and Matt Olson went out to help the two women with their bags and the tray of cookies Laurie picked up from Danielle's aunt Jeanette on the way down to Milwaukee, then the four of them headed inside.

**********

Katie: Since I'm the one behind this spur-of-the-moment celebration, I guess it's up to me to say a few words before we pass the food around. As I have gotten older, the holidays have come to mean more to me than in the past. While in college, it was one of the few times in the year where I was sure to see Cali and my sisters Beth and Jackie. My first year back home, I retreated into the traditions of my family. Last year, I was in a bad place because of circumstances at work and my inability to share the joy of the season with the person I loved. This man to my right performed a bit of a miracle to restore my reputation and show his devotion to me. Then, two others lodged their way into my heart with a sentimental gift that floored me. Marc and I have discussed new traditions we wish to start as a couple, which led me to put together tonight's event. I know that I'll get to see most of you at some point during the holidays, but not all in one place and a couple of you not at all. You will become part of our family when Marc and I make things official on Wednesday. Thank you for your acceptance of and love for us. It's the greatest gift we could receive this year.

There were very few dry eyes at the table at the conclusion of Katie's remarks. The dishes were passed around the table in near-silence. Once everyone had filled their plates, Marc asked Steph if she would say grace.

Steph: Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest. And with these gifts to us be blessed.

Marc, Matt O., Erin, and Katie: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Whoever eats the fastest gets the most.

Laurie shook her head at the two Schmidt men at the table. Steph was dumbstruck that Erin joined in with them, while Julie had a quizzical look on her face, perhaps wondering if Marc and Matt were certifiable.

Cali: They've corrupted you, Katie!

Katie: Not exactly. If I'm going to keep up with Marc, Matt, and Erin, I need to throw my own comedic weight around.

Marc: Has anyone gotten tickets yet for the New Year's Redux on the 10th?

Matt B.: Got them on Monday. Now to find some threads to knock my dime off her feet.

Steph: Got ours as soon as the website went active.

Matt O.: Not yet, but I plan to do so tomorrow while waiting for Mom and the others to return to campus.

Katie: I went ahead and bought four on Saturday morning when I had a few minutes to myself.

Marc:Two of those are ours, I reckon. Who's getting the other pair?

Katie: I'm thinking of giving them to our goofy nephew so he can ring in 2020 with his person of interest. That is, if he wants them.

Julie: Why don't you give them to me so *I* can ask HIM to the gala?

Katie: They're yours, then. I'll have them put into your name when I get a chance between now and when you leave.

Laurie: Julie, I'll get to know you tomorrow as we spend time together with the ladies helping Katie and Cali, so no interrogation tonight. My brother spoke highly of you when we talked on Thanksgiving night and from what I was able to tell with the other four women here, they all accept you as a potential member of the clan.

Julie: I was telling Katie and Erin while we were working on tonight's meal how I'm not used to such a loose definition of family. You explained it a bit on Monday morning, and they did so earlier today, but I'm still a little puzzled about this desire to expand your circle beyond those bound by blood.

Laurie: How Marc and I grew up and the variety of events which occurred over the span of our adolescent and early adult years made us have to find our way when it came to family relationships.

Laurie explained to the rest of the table her and Marc's biological connection (same mother, different fathers), the estrangement of their dad from his older son from his first marriage, Thomas' re-entrance after 15 years away, and their father's passing.

Laurie: Marc, our mom, and I were each grieving in our own ways and it caused me to withdraw from the two of them and seek out others to fill their void. All of us ended up chasing people in the search for some stability and made some less-than-perfect decisions concerning them. I married at 21 to get away from Milwaukee, Marc hooked onto the first person who gave him the time of day, and Mom got together with someone Marc's age. None of those relationships lasted, with Marc and Danielle's having both the only long-term separation and the greatest longevity.

Sam: Matt and I are closer to Stephanie and Andrew, Mom's bestie Becca's kids, than we are to our cousins. Wasn't that the case for you and Uncle Marc as well?

Laurie: Pretty much. Our aunt Violet's two daughters have lived in Florida their whole lives and were several years older than either of us. Our aunt Lucille's twins were between Marc and I in age, but we weren't particularly close. Her youngest daughter was seven years younger than me, nine than Marc. Then Marc had the bad fortune of being the only boy of seven grandchildren.

Katie: I'd like to hear more about all this, as it probably will fill in some of the holes I have in my knowledge of how my bae became who he is.

Laurie: We can talk after things break up tonight, as I'm sure Steph and Erin would also like some additional background on his earlier years.

Marc: Matts, do you want to have lunch with Brent and I tomorrow, sort of our own meeting of the minds?

Matt B.: I'm definitely in, because you've been saying I need to be more active with you and the men of Cali and Katie's family.

Matt O.: Which sister is Brent with?

Marc: Beth, the oldest.

Matt O.: Count me in. Are you coming with Mom and I to Financial Aid tomorrow afternoon?

Marc: No, because I'll be working to finalize my homily for Saturday's Baccalaureate Service. Guys, meet me at my office at 11:30 and we'll go down to Oakland Gyros near UWM to meet up with Brent.

Cali told her Matt that she needed to get back to campus to talk with Katelyn and Alyssa before she went to bed as she wasn't sure when they would be leaving campus tomorrow. The two of them rose and Cali asked Matt and Julie if they were coming along with them. Matt said yes and told Julie that he had a surprise for her when they returned to Augsburg. The four of them left, leaving Laurie, Sam, Steph and Erin, and Marc and Katie to settle in for the night and wind down in preparation for tomorrow's busyness.


	96. Takedown

As sunrise drew near on the final day of exams, Marc was in his home office debating between two tacts for his Baccalaureate homily tomorrow. On one hand, he wanted to address the impact the scandal might have on the school's graduates as they enter "the real world", but he also felt compelled to keep the message upbeat and positive. When Steph came downstairs and didn't see him in the kitchen or living room, she wandered down the hall.

Steph: Working?

Marc: Yeah. Having trouble deciding which direction I want tomorrow's homily to take. Say a bunch of trite but aspirational words or speak on the very real effect of the scandal on their lives as Trinity graduates and the potential for employers and graduate schools to look at them with suspicion because of it. They could have been a million miles away from the incidents, but by being associated with the school where the prostitution ring was run, the question of involvement could certainly lie in the back of others' minds.

Steph: You tell everyone around you to go with their first instinct when faced with a dilemma such as this, so why not do that? Which message do you want to send this class of Trinity alumni, the one where everything out there is wine and roses and you pat yourself on the back for your academic accomplishments or the one that is honest about being seen as guilty by association?

Marc: I really want to do the second one, because it's truthful and doesn't lead our graduates down the primrose path of believing everything will be easy once they leave here.

Steph: Then do it! Who cares if it's not what is expected?!

Marc: Right. I used the one last Fall to speak about the academic roller coaster those graduates rode over their four years or so. It wasn't dark like this one will be, but it also wasn't the seashells-and-balloons speech that makes for great oratory but doesn't resonate with the audience. Thanks for the suggestion.

Steph: Can I show you what I got Erin for Christmas?

Marc: Sure.

Steph sat down in front of Marc's laptop and pulled up an image of the ring she purchased for her girlfriend.

Marc: Very nice. Heart-shaped birthstones and engraving.

Steph: Thank you. I felt I needed to get something for her that would be an outward symbol of our relationship, such that others would see it and keep their distance.

Marc: You've been together more than a year. Both of you are pretty sure this is going the distance. You have support in all directions for your partnership. It's a fine placeholder to get you to the point where you go to the safe deposit box and plan the next step in your forever.

Steph: What are you giving Katie this year?

Marc: With us having three Christmases to attend, I thought it made sense to give something at each of them. For our just-the-two-of-us Christmas Eve gathering, I got her an interlocking two-heart pendant and chain with our birthstones in the upper left corner of the hearts. At her family's get-together the next day, she'll open a box revealing her dream vacation, a trip to a major city with an endless expense account.

Steph: So where are the two of you going THIS summer?

Marc: Kansas City. Chicago and Minneapolis are too close for it to really be a vacation, and the other cities I considered will probably be hit during the Spring Break trip to Cincinnati to watch your team play and share a little bit of away-from-campus time with what Lexi called my little family.

Steph: That's a huge gift. So what is she getting from you when you celebrate with Laurie and the rest in Minnesota?

Marc pulled up the picture of the ring he had bought Katie on Black Friday.

Steph: Whoa! That's not what I think it is, is it? You that confident we will prevail today?

Marc: First, it's not an engagement ring. That said, it is somewhere around 2/5 of a carat, which is probably the biggest one can go before entering that territory. It can be considered a promise ring, but could also end up being a commitment ring should we decide not to take that final step. I know it's a really weighty gift from an emotional perspective, so I'm going to place it on her right hand and say that she can switch it to her left when she feels ready.

Steph: She'll love it, and I don't think she'll wait long to make that decision.

Marc and Steph left his office and went back upstairs to get ready to leave for campus, as everyone else was in the dining room having a quick bite before caravaning to Trinity.

**********

Beth and Andrea entered Blue's Egg and were seated quickly. While the older sister explained what was on the docket, she looked around the restaurant in case Katie, Sheila, Cali, and Judy had already arrived. Not seeing them, she returned her attention to Andrea.

A few minutes later, the hostess escorted Laurie and her group of combatants to their table. Erin noticed Beth and went over to connect before the Kaczmarek sisters and their daughters arrived. Beth stood and gave Erin a bit of a hug, which she returned.

Beth: Andrea, this is Erin, Marc's goddaughter. Erin, my sister Andrea.

Erin extended her hand to Andrea, which she shook firmly.

Erin: Did Katie tell the two of you how you were going to be involved?

Beth: Joining their table and conversation on our way out.

Erin: OK. Your mom doesn't know any of us, really, while Judy knows me and Steph to some extent. Once we finish, we will stop by your table where Laurie, after seeing Katie and then exchanging pleasantries or what-not, will drop a comment about what Marc did this morning before the Board of Trustees, but not say it was him. The trick is to lead your mom and aunt into getting nosy about the connection between Laurie and Katie and how this person she'll refer to as her brother knows them both.

Andrea: So Laurie is Marc's sister?

Erin: Yes, and the other two at the table are also part of the family, sort of. The younger one is Laurie's daughter Sam, while the one our age is Julie Koerner, who lives a few doors down from Steph and I in Augsburg and is on the lacrosse team with us. She's also Matty Boy's maybe-not-quite-but-possible girlfriend. You know Marc, Brent, and the two Matts were meeting for lunch as well?

Beth: Yes, and I have to say that I like the idea of the guys building their own little support system, with Marc and Brent able to pass on their wisdom to the younger ones so they don't flub up with their persons.

Erin returned to her table and filled in the others on the two people to whom she had been talking and their role in the intervention.

Laurie: I could not BELIEVE Marc drug out the skeletons on a few of the trustees to get them to back the restoration funding for the athletic department.

Steph: We've seen him do that more than once. It makes for great theater and balances the scales of power around Trinity to some extent. What was he pushing?

Laurie: The gist of it is that the prostitution scandal has decimated a few of the women's sports' rosters heading into their next seasons, so the athletic department will need to find replacements who most likely will be less-advantaged than those already here. Thus, he wanted them to give Admissions and Athletic Advising some leeway in accepting and scheduling new student-athletes and Financial Aid a boost of resources to allow these individuals to be able to attend Trinity.

Steph: He's right, Laurie. Women's soccer is going to be down seven players for Game One from what was expected, as three were dismissed, two will be suspended, one is transferring, and one de-committed. How you fill that many spots with most of the current seniors already committed elsewhere, I can't tell you. Women's basketball is a mess as well, with a coaching change, two players dismissed, a third suspended, and games postponed until the new year. He's already been talking with Katie about where to scout and recruit to bring in more players for the 2020 season.

Laurie: So she won't be surprised that he unleashed on people he felt were standing in the way of doing the right thing and obstructing her ability to rebuild the women's soccer program.

The server brought out the dishes for their table and the five ladies concentrated on eating in preparation for their post-lunch activity.

**********

Katie saw Laurie and the others walking toward her and got up to acknowledge them. She introduced them to Sheila, Judy, Beth, and Andrea, then sat back down and left the opening she and Laurie planned for the start of the intervention.

Laurie: Can I just say that my brother is an asshole!

Katie: Who did he light up now?

Laurie: Several members of the Board of Trustees.

Katie: Argh! That's going to make for some trouble next semester as he tries getting his pet project out of Rincker's basement.

Steph: I'm not so sure about that. This is what, the fourth time he's gone off in a Board of Trustees meeting and they keep doing what he wants done. Chairman Strasser likes him a lot, so he's been able to sway the rest of the board to back his initiatives.

Erin and Julie walked around to stand behind Cali, while Steph took up a space between Beth and Andrea.

Judy: Why hasn't something been done about him if he's this obnoxious?

Steph: He has a LOT of clout. The Trinity Times ranked him as the fourth-most influential person associated with Trinity, behind the Bishop, the President, and the Chair of the Board of Trustees.

Sheila: Laurie, I'm sorry you're related to someone like that. If I may ask, who is this ignoramus?

Laurie: Marc Schmidt, the school's chaplain.

Sheila: I feel sorry for you, so very sorry. I've been telling my lovely daughter that he's bad news, but she won't listen to reason from I or Judy.

Laurie: He is the biggest pain-in-the-rump I've ever known. Perfectionist, thinks he's always the smartest person in the room, conceited, smug as hell, and arrogant. I wouldn't choose to be friends with him if I had that option. In fact, we went several years without talking to each other after our father died because he wanted me to treat him like the new chief of the clan.

Sheila: I feel like he's been preying on Kaitlin's low self-esteem to twist her head into believing he's the only man that could ever love her. Maybe you can talk some sense into her, since she's not heeding our concerns.

Laurie: Katie, you know Marc is a major piece of work and not always kind or thoughtful.

Katie: Yes, I know all that and I still love and adore him.

Laurie: Know what else? You're the absolute best thing that has ever happened to him. Those parts of his personality aren't as evident now that you've entered his life. Also, the two of you are SO DAMN CUTE together, even with the age gap, and anyone who looks at the two of you can see the bond you have. It's even rubbing off on my son, who has been getting more of his fatherly attention than ever before. The girls can attest to it as well. He's a better man because of you, and I can't wait for you and him to come up next Friday for Christmas.

Beth: Laurie, I have to agree with you from what I've seen from our side of their relationship. Katie has blossomed so much in the past year or so as a result of his devotion, his ability to see her as she really is and not how she thinks of herself, and his belief in her abilities.

Judy: I just can't get past the idea of him leeching onto someone young enough to be his daughter and the likelihood of him dropping her once she starts showing her age.

Sheila: If she is as much of a catch as Marc seems to think, why wouldn't she seek out someone born in the same decade as her unless he has her deluded about her ability to attract a younger person?

Laurie: How should I know?! Age is just a number, and the two of them are very close to the exact same ages my parents were when they met in 1971. They were together 22 years until our dad passed away in 1993 and there was never an issue made of their age gap around the people they knew. Mom would even tease him about going out to talk to his girlfriends when he helped Marc and I with our paper routes.

Cali: Mom, Aunt Sheila, have you ever seen the two of them together aside from on-campus, where they have to be distant for a number of reasons?

Judy: Can't say I have.

Sheila: Me either.

Beth: He's going to be at Jackie and Shawn's for our Christmas. Sit back and watch them. Give him a chance. I'm pretty sure both of you will change your tune after that. Andrea admitted that he does something for our sister that no one else has, and that was within 15 minutes of meeting him and seeing them with one another. The men are all on-board, so are Jackie and the two of us. His side seems to love Katie a hell of a lot and you probably saw what all of us said about them when Katie posted her birthday album.

Erin: I love my second dad, and I've come to see Katie as a combination older sister/stepmom. Let him prove he's on the up-and-up with her.

Steph: Katie and I were friends before I learned about her and him. Both Erin and I saw the difference between him and Danielle and him and her. When he couldn't get her cleared of the harassment charges before finals last Fall, he nearly cashed in his chips, he was that distraught over the possibility of losing her as a result of his inability to rescue her.

Julie: I don't know Katie that well yet, but I do know Marc. He has never hesitated to listen to me complain about the church or give out advice on how to get my new boyfriend over with my parents, since him and Matt are pretty much the same person, only at different ages and with different levels of experience. He admits his past faults, but wants to do better and from the few times I've seen him and Katie together, she helps him do that. She loves the man tremendously and I hope I am able to love his nephew that way in the future.

Laurie: I am my brother's harshest critic. I have seen his ups-and-downs over a span of more than 40 years. I have hated him on-and-off for his narcissism, his desire to be all-powerful, and his using of people to get what he wants. When I told him I tossed my soon-to-be ex-husband out, the first things out of his mouth were to ask me how I and Sam were taking it and if it would be a hardship for Matt and I to pay for Spring semester on just my income. He's stepped in and gotten us a sit-down with Financial Aid this afternoon to see if he'll be eligible for additional resources and has offered to help us if necessary to make sure he's able to come back in January. I guess what I'm trying to say is that, in the end, the only thing that truly matters is to love and be loved, and what Marc and Katie share is something special. If you can't be accepting of their being together, at least love her enough to be supportive. Oh, and if he EVER hurts her, you have my full permission to chase him down and beat his ass for me.

Laurie walked around the table and extended her hand to Sheila and Judy, which they each shook. They promised to rethink their opinion of Marc when he would be with them on Christmas Day and thanked her for being truthful about both her brother and his relationship with Katie. With that, the lunch gathering broke up, with Beth and Andrea hugging Katie and thanking Laurie and the others for their help. Following some more farewells between the eleven women, Laurie, with Julie and Sam in tow, drove back to Trinity so she could meet up with Marc and Matt ahead of her meeting with Financial Aid. Meanwhile, Katie, Cali, Erin, and Steph stopped off at Bayshore to pick up gifts for their menfolk (Marc, Matt Benning, and Matt Olson) before returning to campus.


	97. It Is Time

Wednesday was the final required day of on-campus availability for faculty and staff ahead of Winter break. With grades FINALLY submitted, almost everyone was able to relax ahead of that evening's holiday party in the Lake Shore Room. After a busy morning for Marc and Katie that was spent working on her team's non-conference schedule and laying out their presentation with Lexi and Erica at the USC Convention, they met Ben and Megan Oliphant at Chuck's Place for lunch.

Marc: Ben, when you and Megan made your relationship public at Concordia, how did you do it?

Ben: I don't remember any single event or time that we made a declaration of being together. We were seen more together on campus and within the School of Education, so questions arose from others as to our status.

Marc: What was the administration's reaction?

Ben: They erroneously thought I had enticed Megan into a sexual relationship and were none too pleased that the two of us were out in the open about our couplehood.

Megan: Our circumstances were a bit unusual. Dawson was attending Concordia at the time, with Lily planning to arrive the next Fall. Ben hadn't shown any level of interest for the women on campus, which made us going public a bit more shocking than what your stepping forward together will be.

Katie: The surprise factor won't be there, because a good number of the staff and several professors know or can surmise we're a couple. I think tonight is more about unlocking the handcuffs we've put on our relationship to let it run free and dealing with the accusations and inferences of abuse, or social climbing, or the backbiting and gossiping from the back pew biddies that will start up once it becomes known around the synod.

Marc: Got any advice on how or when to return fire or how to step out and declare our relationship to others?

Ben: Start off your mingling with those who already know about the two of you. It gets your feet on the floor, but doesn't open either of you up to off-the-cuff interrogation. Eventually, others will notice the little gestures and put two and two together. Positives will wait for you to come around to express their thoughts, while negatives will seek you out more than likely. Don't think too hard about being "perfect" with your going public or you'll be stuck in your heads and the anxiety of facing disapproval or lack of approval will creep up on you.

Katie: We've been together since literally that night the two of us, you two, and Dawson and Aubrey went mini-golfing. Eight months of hiding this from the synod and the administration and students at Trinity leads to tonight and what I hope is acceptance from the campus community and love and support for Marc and myself.

Megan: Which one of you is planning to do more of the lifting as the night goes on?

Marc: With me being the older and in the higher-ranking position at Trinity, I feel like I'm going to be the one to receive the most blow back or disrespect or questioning of our relationship. Therefore, the responsibility probably falls to me to defend us in this environment.

Ben: Similar to what happened with us three years ago. I was the one addressing the "How could you?!" questions and Megan was peppered with questions of "Why?!" from others. If you need us to come over and get you off the hook a little tonight, let one of us know somehow.

Marc: Thanks. Hopefully it doesn't come to that.

Megan: One last thing, and this is probably a TMI question, but do the two of you plan to celebrate afterwards with another rendition of what Katie showed the women a couple of weeks ago?

Katie: I hadn't thought about it, really. I was ragging the weekend before Finals, then everything concerning the intervention took my mind off the need for release last week. I'd say we'll do some kind of celebrating, but maybe not to the same extent as what you got to see previously.

Marc: We'll see. I'm sure something is going to happen, just because she'll be driving me crazy looking oh so FIIIIINE at the party, and who knows what tricks she has up her sleeve to kick that desire up a level or two.

Katie: Or you have up yours, tiger!

The two couples split off for their separate afternoon endeavors, planning to see each other at the party around 5:30.

**********

Business for the day had come to an end, which gave both Marc and Katie around 20 minutes to change in their offices prior to meeting up at his in Luther for the check-over ahead of their entrance at the TLU Holiday Party in the Lake Shore Room.

There was a knock at Marc's office door, which he went to in response. After he opened it, Katie walked in and the two of them sized one another up. Marc was wearing a forest green button-down with black slacks and navy sport coat, while Katie had on a red-and-black mottled midi-dress with black hosiery and heels.

Katie: Festive coloring, and it will be SO easy to get off you later.

Marc: Lovely on the outside, my dear, and I look forward to seeing ALL that's underneath it.

Katie sauntered over to her man and went directly for his lips. He responded with fervor as the pair spent several minutes stoking the fire for what he had planned at his place following the party.

Marc: We might not want to get TOO involved in this, or else we won't get out of the office.

Katie: That is true. So, who gets the privilege of having our coming out land in their lap?

Marc: I think Kara and/or Casey should be the recipients. Us holding hands or you leaning against me won't look odd around them and, though they might tease us a little, they're completely in our corner.

Katie: Ready, Marcy-Marc?

Marc: Couldn't be readier to finally acknowledge you as the love of my life, princess.

Katie laid one last kiss on Marc's lips, then grinned at him. He took Katie's hand in his and they exited his office and walked the short distance over to the party. After entering, Marc looked around the room and saw Kara and Casey talking with Laura Hammond and Elly Dismore. They walked over to the foursome still connected to one another.

Kara: If it isn't our favorite lovebirds!

Kara hugged Katie and exchanged cheek pecks with Marc.

Casey: So tonight's the night, I'm guessing.

Marc: Yes. The four of you are the first ones on the TLU campus to see us together as a couple.

Elly: How long have the two of you been sitting on this?

Katie: From yes to now, about three months. From probably to now, seven months or so.

Laura: Did you get much flak from the disgruntled after your dressing-down of them on Friday?

Marc: Everyone gets up in arms after I rail, but no one typically comes after me once the political theater is over. You now see why I went to the wall to get us as a university to do the right thing and open the doors a little wider so we could restore stability to the athletic department?

Laura: Yes, because the obstruction and tightfisted attitude of some of the members of the Board was getting in the way of your partner doing her job and the new basketball coaches from starting Spring semester with a full squad.

Marc: Out of curiosity, Casey, how did the four student-athletes I placed on academic suspension fare with their Fall grades?

Casey: None of them got flat-lined. Allie picked up grades for three of her five courses and two incompletes. Carli failed most of her courses, but DID get three credits closer to finishing off her Exercise Physiology major, so that's a positive. Kelsey and Nicole's were a mixed bag, primarily because I think they pleaded their cases to their instructors about their nearness to graduation and not desiring F's on the scorecard.

Katie: The two of us have rounds to make, so we shall do so. Any of you coming to the New Year's Redux on the 10th?

Laura: I think I'll pass on that. Would make for a VERY long day with Board of Trustees that morning.

Elly: I'm planning on it. Now to see if I can talk Brendan into coming with me. Otherwise, I might have to go hunting for someone to kiss when the ball drops.

Marc: I'd offer up my nephew as a possibility, but he'll be attending with his sort-of-not-quite girlfriend.

Katie: I'm going to have to keep a leash on Mad Dog that night, because knowing him he's probably going to wear a fedora with mistletoe on the top of it.

Marc chuckled under his breath and thought to himself, "Oh, you'd be surprised where I have one hidden right now."

The newly-minted couple made their way around the room, making conversation with most of the school's power brokers and alerting them to their partnership. Most were happy for Marc and Katie, with a couple in a bit of a snit given their ages and the overlap of their jobs at Trinity. The two of them left campus around 7:00 for their personal after-party at Marc's. During the drive, the pair chatted and pawed at each other.

Katie: That went surprisingly well.

Marc: I think there were enough hints dropped all over the place that it wasn't hard for people to first figure out we were together and then come to accept it as just "normal".

Katie: What's on the agenda for the rest of the evening?

Marc: There are a few surprises in store over the next several hours. Tonight is really the first day of the rest of our lives as a couple and I want you to be swept off your feet by what I have in mind.

Katie: Am I going to have trouble walking in the morning?

Marc: Physically, no, because you know that kind of thing isn't really my style. Mentally and emotionally, you might feel like you shouldn't be able to move as you will be hit in all the feelz and not want to let me out of your grasp.

Katie: Well, I have a surprise or two for you planned, ones that will show you that you're my one, my only, and the greatest gift I've ever been given.

As they drove down Washington Blvd. toward the house, Marc and Katie were quiet, letting their minds wander a bit with thoughts of love and passion for their partner and the anticipation of what was to come.

**********

After closing the front door to Marc's house behind her, Katie walked over to where Marc was standing and looked at him intently.

Marc: It's out there, more or less. Let the flaming arrows start to fly.

Katie: I don't think we have to worry about that. We're back here, with no one else around. I have been turned on by you all night and I hope you're not going to make me wait too long before springing your list of surprises on me.

Marc: First one coming up.

Marc walked to the kitchen and proceeded to pour her a glass of red wine and himself one of sparkling grape juice. He brought them with him into the living room and handed one to his beloved. The pair kissed before moving to the couch and curling up with one another.

Katie: It's almost one year to the day that you gave me the key to your patched-up heart, and I hope I've been a respectful owner in the past twelve months.

Marc: You have taken VERY good care of it, my darling. Tomorrow, when we do our day-before-travel preparation, I will stop and get you one for the house. I've been waiting until now to do so because the gums would be a-flappin' if people thought you had moved in so soon after Danielle's passing.

Katie took another sip from her glass, then laid it on the coffee table and stood up, pulling Marc to his feet with her.

Katie: I can use a little bit of practice on the floor before we head to Vancouver, so dance with me, babe?

Marc: Of course, my beautiful Kaitlin.

Katie pressed herself against Marc's firm body as they danced and exchanged loving touches with each other. She sang the lyrics to "My Guy" softly into Marc's ear, then gave it a light nibble, He spun Katie around, then pulled her back into him. Following that number, Marc sang "L-O-V-E" to her, with a little more separation and flow of movement between the two of them. After a bit of foreplay and romantic kissing, Marc took Katie by the hand and led her upstairs.

**********

Marc entered his bedroom behind Katie, then closed the door and turned on the Spotify playlist he created for tonight, with the first song being "Love, Look What You've Done To Me". He wrapped his arms around her from behind and ran his hands over her body, with his front side pressed against her rear. She pushed back against him and rubbed her bum against the growing muscle inside her lover's pants. Marc slid down the zipper on Katie's dress, then pushed down the straps, allowing it to fall to the floor. She had on a burgundy bralette and panty set and black thigh highs to go with her black pumps. Marc then began kissing his way over her neck and collarbone, with his hands running over her breasts, causing her to press her butt back into him. Katie reached behind her and found the zipper on Marc's slacks, then slid it down and moved her hand in search of his magic wand. Finding it, she pulled it out from inside his boxers and tenderly stroked it with her hand. After sliding down the straps on her bralette, Marc ran his hands over her sides before moving them back up to her chest. Katie turned around and faced Marc, then responded by suckling a bit on his neck and throat before placing a deep kiss on his lips and running her nails over his back, knowing that the gentle scratching turned him on.

Katie backed up and laid on the bed, after which Marc removed her panty and placed his mouth and tongue against her exposed womanhood, licking it like a newborn kitten. A few minutes later, he moved up onto the bed to kiss and suck on Katie's nipples while running a finger over and in between her vaginal lips.

Katie: Mmmmm. You always know how to make me squirm just a little. Slide two into me so I can hump your hand.

Marc: You're going to cum so many times tonight I think you'll lose count, love.

Marc slipped both his index and middle fingers inside Katie, upon which she tightened her pelvic muscles and slid along them. She began unbuttoning Marc's shirt and leaving kisses on his skin as she exposed it. From there, she unbuckled his slacks, then slid both them and his boxers off him. Katie wrapped her hands around his penis, gently bringing it to the level of stiffness she desired before placing her mouth onto it and softly sucking it. Marc laid back and accepted her loving attention, running his fingers through her hair. After a few minutes of fellatio, Marc returned to giving Katie oral, kissing the skin above her stockings on the way back to her pussy. He slipped his tongue inside her while she rubbed on her clit. When he moved up to suck on Katie's clit, she dipped her middle two fingers inside her and fingered herself hard, being rewarded with a satisfying orgasm.

Marc returned to the top of the bed, where he and Katie kissed one another seductively as she worked to bring his manhood back to a solid erection. Once that was completed, the two of them made eye contact as he pushed forward and slowly penetrated her. Katie wrapped her legs around his hips and used her heels to press him deeper into her and bring the two of them closer. The pair established a steady rhythm, which led to Katie tightening her grip on Marc and rubbing the bottom of her vagina to gain additional stimulation and bringing on her second climax of the night. Once back to level, Katie took her hand and placed it on Marc's scrotum, first tickling it before rubbing at its base, causing him to tighten up a bit and cum inside her.

While catching their breaths and giving their most intimate of body parts an opportunity to rest, the two of them held one another and talked a bit. Once they felt ready to start back up, Katie went down and proceeded to bring his soldier back to attention, then mounted it. After a few opening thrusts down on Marc, she leaned over and pressed her lips against his, providing a greater connection as the pair established their rhythm. Marc's mouth went to Katie's nipples, which he sucked voraciously. Katie was riding Marc's cock something fierce, which caused her to ask him to pound her hard from underneath, leading to another orgasm for her. Following her descent, she turned her back to Marc and slid down onto his dick again. The passion between the pair in this position, as always, was intense and Marc came inside her somewhat quickly.

Another break to rest up and just fondle each other was followed by the two of them performing oral on each other, which provided Katie with orgasm number four. She rolled onto her back and Marc slipped inside her one more time.

Katie: You feel so good to me, baby. I want you to cum again. Go as hard and as fast as you'd like. I love you, Marc, and can't wait to share you with my family next Wednesday.

Marc's attention went to Katie's eyes and the two locked-in, spurring him onto an immense explosion inside his partner's quim. As he came down from the high, Katie continued to whisper loving thoughts to him and helped him ride out the descent.

Katie: So you made a three-hour playlist for tonight? Thought you could go that long?

Marc: We haven't been seriously intimate since the night of the GAA banquet, so I was a bit stored-up. I also knew that you'd be bringing the heat and I wanted to make sure I could take full advantage of the sexual tension between us.

Katie: Got any more left in you, tiger?

Marc: Not at the moment, I don't think.

Katie rolled onto her side, with Marc sliding up behind her. They adjusted their bodies so their post-coital sleeping position could be established, with his member resting between her legs.

Marc: Sweet dreams, love, my bride-in-waiting.

Katie got a huge grin on her face at hearing that. "And to you as well, my future husband."

**********

Over breakfast, Katie added a couple of pictures from last night to the Instagram album she planned to post. She asked Marc if they could take a selfie together for her to put at the end of the series. He came around to her side of the dining room table and sidled up next to her, then placed a kiss on her cheek as she took the picture. With that resolved, she uploaded her 21-picture display of how she and Marc got to here from there.

[KatieSHS.jpg], [KatieLU.jpg], [MarcRUHS.jpg], [MarcWMU.jpg], [MarcKatieMUSC.jpg], [KatieWMS.jpg], [MarcTLU.jpg], [KatieTLU.jpg], [MarcKatieWSOC.jpg], [Cary.jpg], [USC.jpg], [MarcFroedtert.jpg], [NewFamily.jpg], [InYourEyes.jpg], [Hands.jpg], [MarcPress.jpg], [Sacristy.jpg], [KatiePress.jpg], [SistersMisters.jpg], [TLUParty.jpg], [Now.jpg]

KatieSweet: Through random circumstance, our paths crossed again, and I am so glad they did. #ageisjustanumber #ilovethisman #myheartsdesire #werenowofficial

After the posting, Katie and Marc went upstairs to change for their errand-running ahead of tomorrow's trip to Laurie's place in Blaine. As they drove to Brown Deer so Katie could grab clothes for the handful of days they'd be gone, she scrolled through the responses to last night's public coming-out.

CaliFarmia: WOO!! Make sure you get me something from Canada.

EDMatheson17: Congrats, Marc and Katie! See you next Friday and I HOPE there are some good stories from your Three Christmases.

LaurieOlson: Katie, welcome to the family! Marc, like I told @SweetSheila, you hurt her, you will be whipped to a bloody pulp.

PastorRachel: This is news! (Not really, as the two of you have been attached at the hip for the past six months or so). Katie, let's get together sometime early in the new year with @PastorJess @DeaconLaura @MrsBishop @PaulaRollins to welcome you to the club and warn you about what you'll face as Marc's partner.

KaraCallen: Thank you for choosing @CaseySchultz and I to be the first TLU people you told last night. We'll have to do something with the MUSC folk and their spouses ahead of Spring practice. #playerdontplay #MarcAndKatie

GMSBishop: I take it this is the official announcement of your relationship. @MrsBishop and I are pleased to see our (current) favorite funny man find someone who understands and completes him as well as you, Kaitlin.

LexiMillen: Coach and Chaplain sitting in a tree......naaaaaaaaah, not gonna finish that. Congrats on FINALLY being out and thank you for the example you set for us students of what a two-way relationship with passion and devotion can look like. Take notes, @CamTheMan!

MattyBoy: Congrats, Uncle Marc and (eventual) Aunt Katie! We got dinner plans for Saturday yet?

MeganO: Two people who couldn't have found a better complement to one another. Triple with Ben, @DBOliphant, and @AubreyBayer after the holidays?

AubreyBayer: AWWWWWWWWW! My best friend and the love of her life finally going public. Have tons of fun on your two-week adventure. See you later, I hope?

There were several other comments and more than 200 likes on the post. Katie put her phone away and reminisced over the last sixteen months. She looked over at Marc and sent him a sweet smile, knowing that the days to come would be significantly brighter because he was hers and she was his.


	98. It's The Holiday Season

On Sunday the 22nd, the Schmidts and Warsames gathered to celebrate Christmas at Laurie's house in Blaine. Marc had told his sister that he wanted to do his gift exchange with Katie at the very end because he felt it would distract from the rest of the gift-opening if done earlier. When all the gifts had been passed out and opened, Katie handed Marc a small, rectangular box. He shook it and it rattled, leaving him a bit confused. After tearing off the wrapping paper, he saw it was a box of Caramel M&Ms with a sheet of paper attached to it. The paper was a pair of e-tickets for Earth, Wind, and Fire and Chicago in Concert.

Marc: Wow! They're touring together this year?

Katie: Yes. Late March in Madison. It was that or see them in Vegas over Spring break, but you've sort of promised Erin that you'll be going to Cincinnati to see her and the team play their two games there.

Marc thanked Katie with a kiss, then handed her the box he was holding behind his back. Laurie had worked to create a nesting doll effect for his gift, with the box containing it placed inside a larger box, then that one placed in a still-larger box, etc. When Katie FINALLY got to the final box, she opened it and saw nothing in it. Marc walked over to her and pulled his beloved to her feet.

Marc: I had Laurie keep this in a very secured place so it wouldn't get damaged by Oliver or Amberlee (Laurie's two dogs) if one of them got interested in what was under the tree.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring he had bought her. Katie was rendered speechless, as were Sam and Stephanie. Laurie and Becca smiled at one another as they waited for Marc to speak.

Marc: Kaitlin, I already know that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. When I thought about how I wanted to signify that commitment, I looked for a ring that could stand for a number of different stages in a relationship, based on where we decide to go with it. That's why I am going to do something a little different. Give me your right hand.

Katie extended her hand to Marc and he slipped the ring onto her finger.

Marc: The reason I am placing it there is because I want YOU to decide when or if you want to have it on your left, thus signaling to those around us a higher level of togetherness than what was announced on Wednesday night.

Katie: Are you changing your tune on marriage, babe?

Marc: Maybe not changing it, but solidifying what I know is true and giving you the assurance you need of my desire to be your one and only and vice-versa, whether we do the legal hoop-jumping or not.

Katie wiped away a tear, then kissed Marc before accepting the affections of her at-heart nephew, niece, and sister-in-law.

**********

Cali spent Christmas Eve with the Bennings in Germantown. Following dinner, Matt's mom Diane brought out some mugs of hot chocolate and a tray of cookies for the three Benning boys (Matt, Nick, and Mike), dad Greg, and Cali to eat and drink while waiting for her to finish in the kitchen so a game of Spoons could commence.

As 10pm rolled around, Cali began drifting off a little and thought it best to head back to Greendale before it got too much later. Matt followed her out to her car, where he handed her a small velvet box. She opened it to find a two-stone sterling silver locket. Cali looked at both sides of the locket before commenting. "Our birthstones and the day we sort of started dating?"

Matt: Yes. That was the day after the Open Mic night on-campus, when we met for lunch.

Cali: It's beautiful. Put it on me?

Matt took the locket out of the box, then unclasped the chain and placed it around Cali's neck.

Cali: Which two pictures should I put inside it?

Matt: The one of us from the Reformation Day dinner and the one from our installation in March.

Before Cali climbed into her car, she gave Matt a fairly deep kiss and then whispered in his ear, "I love you, Matthew."

Matt: I love you too, Cali. See you tomorrow at Jackie and Shawn's?

Cali: Yes. Festivities start at 1pm so the two of them can spend a bit of Christmas together without the whole family in their space. You've got directions, right?

Matt: I have their address. Can plug it into my phone's GPS and it will get me there. Goodnight, love.

Cali: Goodnight, baby.

**********

As the clock neared Midnight, Marc and Katie were in bed, with him sitting with his back against the headboard and her resting her back against his chest and seated between his legs. Their Christmas Eve at home consisted of catching up on programs and games saved to Marc's DVR, a dinner of Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo, and their gift exchange in his bedroom. Katie's all-red lingerie outfit (crotchless teddy and seamed stockings combined with her Valentino Rockstuds) took her partner by surprise and, following their gift exchange, led to an evening of unbridled passion and love expressed by the two of them.

Marc: Like the pendant?

Katie: I love it! Andrea is right about you having good taste in jewelry. Like your Crucifix?

Marc: It's perfect. My favorite verse and something I can wear everyday as opposed to the Flav cross that's only useful for worship and weddings.

Katie placed her hands on top of Marc's, which were positioned around her torso, and wove her fingers through the backs of them, then squeezed. The two of them sat there in a peaceful silence for a couple of minutes before Katie broke it.

Katie: Will you take your ring and place it on my left hand?

Marc: Are you sure, because once you go there, you can't take it back?

Katie: I'm sure. I want to wake up on Christmas morning with it on the finger from which it may never be removed. One caveat, though. I don't plan to wear either it or the new pendant tomorrow at Jackie and Shawn's. Boxing Day, however, they go back on for keeps.

Marc: Probably not the best of ideas to have the elders see those at the moment.

Marc took Katie's right hand in his left one and removed the commitment ring he gave her on Sunday, then took her left hand and, while sliding it on, said the following: "Kaitlin Nicole, will you do me the honor of saying yes to being my potential wife?"

Katie looked back at Marc, then got up and straddled him. Once she had gotten his cock inside her, she responded, "Yes, Marc. Always yes!"

The pair slowly made love, connecting their hearts and bodies to one another. After both came, Katie released Marc from her and laid down beside him. He curled him behind her and she turned out the lights. As Katie drifted off to sleep, she hummed "Love of a Lifetime" by Firehouse, one of the songs from last Wednesday's playlist. Marc's arms held his partner close and he softly sang to her "Groovy Kind of Love" by Phil Collins as they both relaxed and succumbed to a long winter's nap.

**********

Jackie and Shawn's apartment in West Allis was packed to the gills with eighteen people there for the Sweet/Farmer Christmas celebration. While Katie, her sisters, and Cali were talking, Brent and Shawn had corralled Marc, Matt, and Zach along with Doug and Steve and they went to Bakers Square for pie and coffee (life's short, eat dessert first!).

Steve: Guys, let's talk shop. How did your individual Christmases go?

Matt: I think my mom really enjoyed having Cali spend last evening with us and she loved what I got her. Not sure if any of you have seen it yet.

Steve: The locket? I got to take a peek at it earlier, but I'm pretty sure she didn't choose to wear it today because of Mom and Sheila.

Shawn: Jackie and I having last night and this morning to ourselves couldn't have worked out better. She usually doesn't get to enjoy even one of the gatherings during the holidays due to her schedule at the hospital, so we've really cherished the ability this year to do something for us and hosting the big to-do this afternoon.

Zach: Andrea and I went to Cafe Hollander for dinner last night. My family is doing its gathering on Saturday since my brother and sister and their spouses, kids, and extended families this year locked up yesterday and today. It was nice having that time with her, without the stresses of "facing the family" like I'm going to receive from the elders today.

Doug: We don't bite, really. None of the other guys have died yet from dealing with us. Now, our wives are another story, but as we will have Marc and Matt's backs today, we'll have yours as well.

Brent: Courtney almost ruined Christmas for Dylan because she got a bit nosy yesterday afternoon and found where Beth had stored some of their gifts. Luckily, she was quick on the draw and told our daughter that with the number of nice kids on his list this year, he needed to drop off some gifts ahead of time because the sleigh wouldn't hold them all to do a one-tripper. Don't know if she believed her or not, but it kept the secret of Santa from being exposed for another year.

Marc: The first two Christmases have been really something. Now, none of you will get to see what I gave Katie at each of them today, for some certain reasons, but Brent has seen one of the gifts and they will be out in the open once we're on our way to Vancouver if she doesn't post a picture to Instagram with them before then.

Brent: Beth told me that what you gave her at your family's gathering wasn't in theory what it looked like, but it was close. How close?

Marc: I would call it a plateau gift, meaning there isn't a real need to "up it" in the future, but there's also room to do so if there is a reason for it.

Doug: If I can parse out what the two of you are saying, then it's for the best she keep that hidden for the time being. And for the record, you have my blessing if you choose to do more in the future. Should we get back and begin this celebration of our growing family?

The men finished off their drinks and left the restaurant for the short drive back to Jackie and Shawn's. Once there, they saw the women had set up the dining room table and a pair of card tables to accommodate everyone. Shawn helped Jackie get some of the larger items out of the kitchen and onto the tables.

The meal was delightful, with no sniping (mainly due to where people were located). Once Jackie, Sheila, and Judy had gotten the tables cleared and kitchen straightened-up, everyone gathered in the main room for gift-giving. Courtney and Dylan had the largest pile as all their aunts and Sheila and Doug spoiled the kids rotten. The family name draw had Marc getting Steve and Katie getting Matt. Steve received a four-pack of tickets to the Wisconsin/Notre Dame football game at Lambeau Field and Katie booked Matt two hours of recording time at MusicMann Studios in Bay View should he wish to start work on his album project.

Katie: Marc, I know you didn't want me to go overboard for this gift, since I did so on your first one. I'm sure you'll like it and I hope to see it on you sometime soon.

Marc opened his gift and was a little stunned at what Katie had gotten him.

Marc: How did you think of getting me a stole for my vestments?

Katie: I've studied you for the past three semesters and seen what you have. I know you like blue, but the only blue in your vestments to date is the dalmatic. Hence, something that can be worn over the alb or your mock if you're asked to do an on-the-spot rite.

Marc: I love it. Open yours. Proof that I DO listen when you tell me things.

Katie opened her box and was greeted by: a miniature of the JC Nichols Fountain; an FC Kansas City T-shirt signed by Ashlyn Harris, Alex Morgan, Becca Moros, and Mandy Laddish; and a plane ticket for Kansas City, along with a Visa gift card pre-loaded with $500.

Katie: Is this a hint of where we're going on vacation this summer?

Marc: Probably. You said you wanted to be dropped in the middle of a major city with an endless supply of money. The shopping options in Country Club Plaza are immense and almost like being on Rodeo Drive.

Katie: Something tells me you know this from personal experience.

Marc: Been to KC twice, once on band tour while I was at Drake and once a few months later when in the area for a religious conference.

Shawn: Jackie, don't be expecting me to match Marc's benevolence. We'd be knee-deep in debt if I try to keep up with him.

Courtney jumped on Katie's lap, with Dylan trying to climb up to sit between her and Marc. Sheila took in the picture in front of her and realized that she had been so blinded by Marc's professional image that she never saw the sweetness and caring he showed to Katie or how his personality was pretty different when away from work. After things broke up for the evening, she, Judy, and Beth had a deep discussion about Marc and Katie and what the elder women had learned over the past two weeks.

**********

Thursday evening, after Steph had made it to the Mathesons', she and Erin called the rest of their little family's brats on Skype.

Matt O.: Girls! What has you dialing me up tonight? Shouldn't you be getting some sleep before the craziness of the next week hits?

Erin: We wanted to make sure our little family, as Lexi called it, had a chance to spend time together and swap Christmas stories before Steph and I join our other parents for the trip to Vancouver.

Cali: News from last night. Katie and Marc look to have won over Mom and Aunt Sheila, and you should see what they gave each other for presents.

Matt O.: Probably doesn't rival what he gave her at our Christmas on Sunday. Steph and Erin, you'll get to see it tomorrow when you meet up with them in Chicago.

Cali: She didn't have either of her previous gifts from him with her yesterday, so I'm just as much in the dark as the rest of you.

Julie K.: Last night with my family was pretty tense, but ended somewhat positively. My dad, grandpa, and great uncle were debating the new ish coming down for the LCMS' next Assembly, which includes a threat from Ordain Women Now to bring a proposal to the floor aimed at opening the pulpit to them, with the traditionalists looking to stave it off with one that will open up educational opportunities and non-clergy professional jobs to them, in direct competition with people like my father. Let's say he is none too pleased about that possibility.

Steph: So where's the positive part?

Julie K.: I told them about the relationship I had developed with Marc over the first semester and about his nephew being someone I was considering dating. Didn't hurt that Matt's relation to the school's chaplain was seen by them as a good thing and that they felt TLU was not so far removed from the more traditional line of thinking that Concordia expressed. All five of us know that's a bunch of hogwash, as Marc is BY FAR one of the most liberal and progressive people in the ELCA.

Matt O.: So do we have an official designation yet?

Julie K.: Let's hold off on that until we go to New Year's Redux and can share time together in a romantic and face-to-face way.

Cali: Matt will probably be working on his first album sometime in the next month as Katie gifted him two hours of studio time at a place in Bay View. Before we hang up, is there anything any of you want me to add to Monday's presentation before the LSM National Council?

Erin: Maybe not for the presentation, but between you and Alyssa, see if you can come up with some ideas for the quick turnover from arrival to New Year's Eve party on that first day. I know some of us would be in town a day or two early and some are local, but all of the pieces for that would need to be in place before we would leave following exams.

Julie K.: I'd like to see us offer a bit of an olive branch to our fellow Lutherans of more conservative leanings, because we know it will be up to our generation to tear down the walls that exist in both of our denominations to women being full participants in the church.

Cali: Erin, Steph, hate to do this, but do you think you could bring that idea up to Marc and get him to throw me an email with a few thoughts before Monday?

Erin: I'll talk to him, but I also reckon he'll say you have enough experience with LCMS from your time at Greendale Martin Luther to be able to craft together a plausible way of engaging them. Maybe sketch it out and use him for feedback and expansion of your thoughts?

Matt O.: Erin's right. He's not going to do something for you that you're capable of doing for yourself. He'll let you bend his ear and suggest ways to do things better, but you have to put in some of the work as well, as my two cousins have taught me quite well in our first four months together at Trinity.

Steph: I think I'm calling it a day. Would like to spend a few minutes with my Er-Bear before turning in.

Julie and Cali giggled at Steph's pet name for their teammate and roommate.

Erin: And I with my Stephabae.

After Cali, Matt, and Julie put in their requests of things for the other two to bring back from Canada, the call came to an end.


	99. Love In The New Decade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final chapter of Book 3.

A great Friday evening of catching up with one another in Chicago led into a quite uneventful flight for Marc and his little family to Vancouver for the preparation and performance of Ali Krieger and Steph Labbe's wedding. The Trinity contingent was met at Vancouver International Airport by Beverly Labbe and Debbie Christopher, Steph and Ali's moms. After pleasantries, Steph Lafleur went with the two women to get insight on their daughters and what might be desired for the service that has yet to be discussed, while Marc, Katie, and Erin picked up their rental car and drove to the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver, where the group would be staying for the week.

With a couple of hours to himself before that evening's dinner meeting with the brides, attendants, and their significant others, Marc did some note-taking on his copy of Tuesday night's service, determining where the small gags would be placed and binding together the comments he received from the eight brideswomen as well as what Steph learned on the ride to the hotel from Beverly and Debbie. Satisfied with where things stood, he put the work away and tuned into the last portion of the Fiesta Bowl, where Michigan was ahead of Texas, 19-17, early in the fourth quarter.

**********

Over dinner at Joey Burrard's, Marc went through the service with all in attendance and asked about processional/recessional elements.

Ali: As you can see, we have only one couple among the two sets of four standing up for us, so figuring out what will be most comfortable for the other six in going forward and back together I think is the greatest priority.

Becca: When EJ and I got married, we had three couples of the four pairings, and our witnesses weren't paired up. Marc was able to put together separate orders for the processional and recessional so our attendants could be with their partners, the right people were in the right places for the ceremony, and the two trips of the aisle went smoothly. Maybe that kind of thing would work for you?

Marc: Do you have a specific order your attendants will be in at the altar?

Steph Labbe: We really haven't discussed that outside of wanting Ashlyn and Georgia at our sides.

Marc: I was going to ask about that, as I found it slightly unusual that each of you would have your most recent partner as members of the party, with them being your best women even a bit more confounding.

Ali: When Steph and I began discussions about who to involve and the message we wanted our wedding to broadcast, we came to the realization that, in a different world and were our paths not to have crossed again in Philly, Ashlyn and Georgia would probably have been the ones we'd be standing next to on our wedding days. Therefore, it made sense that they be in those positions when the two of us tied the knot.

Diana: For the three of us who have yet to participate in or see you do a wedding, can you give a synopsis of what you have planned for the inside gags that most of us know are coming?

Marc: I don't have them all set up. One of them I will need to test-run during rehearsal to see if it will work. The insanity quip will be in there, albeit it toned-down for certain reasons.

Steph Labbe: If you're thinking of doing a softer version of it on account of my history, please don't do that. I know you'll be joking, so the insinuation that I'm loco for doing this won't affect me.

Marc: OK, so I'll keep that in. With this wedding having the highest average age for the brides of the ones I've done to date, I'm pondering doing something related to that. Again, all in good fun. It would be similar to what Steph and I did to Diana in LOVE Park. Looking around the table, I'm also getting some ideas of how to make the in-and-out work to have it be functional and considerate of the women. Any readings and, if so, who will be doing them?

Ali: I have one that my brother Kyle will do, Steph has one which will be done by her dad, and a third one which we'd like Steph to do leading into your remarks, as would happen in a traditional service.

Steph Lafleur: Can you bring a copy of it to the rehearsal so I have it in-hand instead of needing to look it up in my phone?

Ali: That can be done.

Marc: We're meeting on Monday at 2pm at the Vancouver Club, correct?

Ali: Yes, that's correct.

Marc: I'll plan to have my ideas for the processional/recessional, the gags, and my one hat-tip to the New Year ready to test when we arrive. Most of you have seen how I do what I do, so you can bring the others up to speed on what to expect.

The meeting broke up, with everyone stopping by the table where the party's significant others were dining and leaving the restaurant with them.

**********

While Marc and Steph were at the Vancouver Club handling the rehearsal for Ali and Steph's wedding, Erin was in the former's room using his laptop to follow the LSM National Council's meeting from the National Gathering, where Cali and Alyssa were presenting Trinity's proposal for hosting next year's National Gathering in Milwaukee. She was sending texts to Katelyn with reaction and follow-up points to make to anticipated questions while the other two were laying out the projected schedule and accommodations.

Once the hearing had completed, Erin closed down the live video stream and used the free time to surf around. She saw a file called "Primer" and clicked upon it. When she realized that the file was a video of Marc and Katie being physical with each other, she thought at first to shut it down. Following a minute or so of absorbing the actions of the two of them, she chose to continue watching, as their lovemaking was turning her on. She pulled down her trackies and panties, then started to rub her pussy as she imagined being Katie riding Marc and receiving his attention on her womanhood. As she neared her climax, Erin heard a key being inserted into the door. As she was scrambling to get her clothes back on, Katie entered and saw Erin in her slightly-disheveled state.

Katie: Did I interrupt something, and why am I seeing you with barely anything on?

Erin: I borrowed Marc's laptop so I could follow Cali and Alyssa's presentation at the LSM National Gathering. Once that finished, I got bored and started looking around his desktop, clicking on a file of you and him getting busy, which got me pretty aroused.

Katie: Can't believe he'd leave that one out in the open. Probably wasn't thinking about that when he agreed to let you use his computer.

Katie sat down next to Erin on the bed. "The video you saw was an attempt for the two of us to demonstrate to Sarah and Aubrey ways they could turn on Wil and Dawson and techniques to draw out their men's animal instincts."

Erin: I have to say the two of you do a really good job of showing the passion two people can have for one another. How much of it was for show and how much for real?

Katie: It was ALL for real. We had things set up so we wouldn't play to the camera and would let the natural course of events occur. Any other thoughts?

Erin: As I watched it, I fantasized that I were you and having Marc touch me like that.

Katie thought about Erin's comment for a moment, then decided this was probably the right time for her to broach the spitfire cherub about what she and Marc discussed a few weeks ago.

Katie: Do you have a bit of a thing for Marc?

Erin: Not sure it's a "thing". I guess I'd like to know what being with a guy would be like, and he definitely would be someone fairly safe to engage, but at the same time I don't know how to tell Steph that nor do I want to cause tension if not outright war between the four of us.

Katie: A few weeks ago, after we returned from dinner with Pastor and Deacon Capshaw, Marc and I got into a bit of a question-and-answer session and the subject of our sexual needs came up, namely how to reconcile my being bi and his problems with the wandering eye, as that last part is the main reason why the ring he gave me didn't come with a proposal. As we discussed this, your name came up as someone we both would consider for "sharing" on an ongoing basis. He felt you liked him in a slightly-more-than-father-figure way based on your interactions with him right after Danielle passed away and I felt you'd be the right person to help supplement what might lack a little in our relationship.

Erin: So you'd be OK with me possibly wanting to sleep with Marc for curiosity's sake?

Katie: I wouldn't be OK with it as a one-off, although it could be that if you find out you're not into men like that, or doing it secretly. We want you to help him please me, and if the two of you get at it a little at the same time, that's alright as well. I'm not sure how soon Marc and Steph will be getting back, so we should shelve this conversation until we have time alone again. One thing I want to do before they get back, though.

Katie leaned toward Erin and placed a slightly teasing kiss on her lips, to which she responded and pulled Katie toward her, allowing the two of them to deepen their oral affections with each other. Once their kissing session ended, the two smiled at each other and blushed a little as the thoughts of what might come next ran through their minds.

**********

Marc (to Steph Labbe, Georgia, and Steph Lafleur): Do we have everything in order for how the start and finish are to go?

Steph Lafleur: I think so. Coming forward, it will be Carm and Erin "playing it up", then Becca and EJ as normal, followed by Shelina and Diana making light of the height gap, with Ashlyn escorting Ali to the altar. Steph and Georgia will come out with us and take up their stations in front of you. On the recessional, following Ali and Steph, the six "singles" will file out, stopping at either the third or fourth row of seats back on their right side to "pick up" their +1s, starting with Ashlyn and Alex. Becca and EJ will bring up the rear, followed by the two of us single-file, with me carrying out your portfolio and you at the end.

Steph Labbe: What do all of us need to know about the ball drop at the end?

Marc: As Steph and I went over in the rehearsal, the ball is timed to take 30 seconds to go from its starting point to the end. The slowest I've been able to do the final portion of the ceremony has been somewhere around 27 seconds, so I might stall a second or two after the drop starts to get it to 28 seconds, which should match up perfectly. As for the recessional, I think Alex and Allison should be made aware of how it is to go, since they will be the first one from each of their rows to step out when Ashlyn and Georgia come by.

Georgia: Who's responsible for bringing out the walker?

Marc: In my opinion, it makes the most sense for Steph to bring it out with her, playing into the need for it, then placing it in the spot where Ali will stand.

With the last bit of planning completed, Steph Lafleur went out into the main hall of the Vancouver Club to pass information along to Alex Morgan and Allison Beveridge about the recessional. Following that, she caught up with Erin and Katie.

Steph: Both of you are looking FIIIIIIINE tonight. Hoping I can make it to Midnight, but that might be disastrous if I push off taking my meds to do it.

Katie: I'm guessing Marc will be in the same boat. Love this brighter color on you and I am sure this dime of yours will agree.

Erin: Gorgeous, bae. Everything ready on your and Marc's end?

Steph: I think so. Toughest part is going to be the ball drop at the end of the ceremony, getting it timed correctly. Marc has gone through his last paragraph of the script several times and has yet to be able to stretch it out to 28 seconds. Crossing my fingers it will happen or else we'll need to stall a second or two at some point during its descent.

Erin's phone chimed to signal a new message. She checked it and saw the following:

CaliFarmia: Can't wait to ring in 2021 with you and the others at National Gathering in MILWAUKEE!

Erin let out a small squeal, then showed Steph and Katie the text, leading to a group hug. Steph told the two of them she was going to inform Marc of the good news before business got underway. When she got back to him, he was with Steph Labbe and Georgia trying to keep the two of them calm ahead of the ceremony's start.

Steph Lafleur: Hate to say it, boss, but you're not going to be able to do a New Year's Eve wedding next year. We're going to be busy hosting National Gathering!

Marc did a bit of a fist pump, then hugged Steph. The two Canadian Olympians inquired as to their joy and Marc explained.

Marc: Day job accomplishment. Our school, along with the LCMs at Marquette and UW-Milwaukee, has been given the right to host next winter's Lutheran Student Movement National Gathering, the first one to be held outside of Chicago since its rebirth in 2013. Another feather in the cap for us at Trinity Lutheran and the synod as a whole. Now, time to shine. Everyone ready?

After getting nods from the other three, Marc led them out to the front of the makeshift sanctuary, letting Steph Labbe get in front due to the walker. Once the four of them were in place, Steph Lafleur signaled to the ushers to allow the processional to begin.

**********

The wedding and reception were magnificent, with the love between Ali and Steph radiating throughout the venue. Neither Marc nor Steph were able to make it to Midnight, leaving for the Four Seasons around 10:30. Katie and Erin left the reception around 11:30, wanting to be back at the hotel in time to wish their partners a Happy New Year.

Upon arrival, each of them went to their rooms, where Erin found Steph out cold. She went next door to Marc and Katie's room, hoping to join them for the countdown to Midnight. Katie let her in and the three of them stretched out on one of the beds, with Marc leaning against the headboard, Katie between his legs, and Erin between hers. They talked about what Katie had walked in upon on Monday afternoon and the offer she made to Erin on their behalf.

Katie (to Erin): How do you feel about being with the two of us in a sexual manner?

Erin: I wouldn't want to do it behind Steph's back, so could she be included in this?

Marc: Don't see why not, if Katie is game being intimate with her.

Katie: I think I could be persuaded in letting that woman dominate me if she wishes. So we're good?

Erin: We're good. Marc?

Marc: The call on whether you engage me or not is totally yours, and it doesn't have to be every time the three of us get together for that purpose. Again, the one major rule is that everything is done in the open and not on the sly.

As the clock ticked down toward 12:00, the three of them got up off the bed. When Midnight had come, Marc and Katie kissed, with Katie then giving one to Erin. Marc and his goddaughter looked at one another and, after getting tacit agreement from Katie, exchanged a kiss of their own. Following another set of pecks, Erin returned to her room and Marc and Katie got ready for bed, happy with how 2020 has started.


End file.
